


Gotham Tales

by fishfingersandjellybabies



Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-14
Updated: 2015-08-24
Packaged: 2018-04-09 06:45:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 67
Words: 30,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4337990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fishfingersandjellybabies/pseuds/fishfingersandjellybabies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shortish and miscellaneous Bat-family prompts filled over the years.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hugs - Jason, Tim, Barbara & Damian

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the hug meme - Jason with Tim, Barbara and Damian

Jason tensed slightly as he heard the click of the door opening. This was his safe house. Not the Outlaws, not one of the Bat’s. _His_. No one was supposed to know where it was. 

The steps were soft, familiar. His fingers barely brushed the gun still strapped to his hip when a weight plopped down next to him on the sofa. Jason took another swig of his beer before mumbling, “Replacement.” 

“Hm.” Tim responded, staring blankly at the screen in front of them. It was one of those syndicated game shows. Bright colors, plastic faces, fake laughter. Jason glanced over at the younger man. His suit was ripped, mask already being twisted in his fingers, face filled with dirt, blood and definite signs of a blossoming black eye. 

“Bad night?” Jason asked. 

“Hm.” Tim repeated, but with an affirmative tone. 

“Need me to call to the cave? Alfred’s going to want to fix you up.” Tim shook his head. “Why’d you come here, then? I don’t have much supplies to help you.” 

“Closest.” Tim breathed. “Just need sleep.” 

Jason paused, taking another gulp of beer. As he lowered the bottle, he threw his arm across the back of the couch, wrapping it around Tim’s neck and pulling him against his side. Tim resisted slightly, but quickly gave in, leaning his cheek gratefully against Jason’s shoulder. 

“Then sleep away, little brother.” Jason drawled, patting Tim’s arm gently. “Just sleep away.” 

~~ 

He expected Bruce. Probably Alfred. Maybe Dick. Potentially even Damian. 

But not Barbara. Not dear ol’ Babs. 

He didn’t hide his entrance. It was his space anyway, technically. His gravestone. Why did he have to be quiet? He could have a damn picnic here and no one could say anything about it. 

Barbara never looked smaller than when she was crying. Could have been the wheelchair thing, or the girl thing. But really, it was the _she’s-a-good-friend_ thing. He couldn’t stand seeing his friends cry. And she wasn’t, not when he walked up beside her, but the tear tracks that streaked down her face were plain as day. 

Jason took his place next to her, vaguely wondering where Dick was. Did he come with her? Was he here earlier? Did he comfort her? Or was it vice versa? It was probably vice versa. 

Neither of them said anything, but Jason noticed that his tombstone had been cleaned recently. Looking down, he saw dirt on Barbara’s hands. She always was a trooper. That’s what he liked about her. 

Suddenly, he felt her arm wind around his waist. She tugged him just close enough to lean her head on his hip. Her nails dug slightly into his skin, through his jacket and shirt. A little painful, but comforting all the same. 

“I missed you,” she whispered, stroking her thumb across the leather of his coat. “I don’t know if you knew that. But…but when you were gone, I just…I missed you so much, Jay.” 

No, he hadn’t expected her to be the one to show up on the anniversary of his death. He hadn’t even expected her to still be upset about it. But that was the best thing about Barbara Gordon: she always defied expectations. 

~~ 

“Hood-” Damian hissed from across the cave. “Hood… _Todd_.” 

Jason had heard him. He’d even understood him. He just couldn’t respond. His brain was still mush. He was so _cold_. 

“I never took you for a quitter.” Damian snapped. His voice was closer, and Jason was relieved. At least, when he died this time, he wouldn’t be alone. “Don’t make me change my opinion now.” 

Jason struggled to open his eyes. They flickered and were unfocused. Out of nowhere, a hand latched onto his arm. A colorful blob came into view. 

“I…Todd?” Suddenly, Damian’s voice was quiet. If Jason didn’t know the brat better, he’d say the kid was…scared. “Todd, stay with me. Grayson and the others are coming for us. I know they are. But we need to stay awake. We need to stay conscious so they can-” 

“ _Cold_ ,” Jason muttered. “So…s-so cold.” 

“I know. I believe they dropped us in the arctic. If anything, it’ll be good for some of our injuries,” Damian explained. Jason felt himself be shifted. Blood dripped onto his face. Hurt, right. The kid had been hurt, too. “Doubt it’ll be very good for that gash on your head, though.” 

Jason felt an arm cradling his head. Suddenly, he was pressed against a chest, something blanketed across his chest. “Brat, you’re…s-shivering.” 

“Shut up,” Jason could tell it was taking all Damian had not to stutter. He felt the boy’s chin against his head, another other arm across his chest. In the fog of his mind, he realized the material across his body was the boy’s cape. He opened his mouth to protest, but Damian continued on. “We will conserve body heat longer this way.” 

“D-Damian…” Jason reached up blindly, patting against the icy, red uniform until he felt the child’s face. Even through his gloves, he could feel how cold Damian’s skin was. His teeth were chattering. 

“It’s okay. It won’t be long.” Damian curled around Jason’s torso, tightening his fingers slightly. His breath was still warm as it washed across Jason’s head, but his voice was quiet, not entirely confident. “Grayson will come for us soon.”


	2. Sick - Tim & Dick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim always struggles when he thinks. Good thing his perfect big brother is there to help him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the hug meme - Tim and Dick

The sounds that echoed through the bedroom were grotesque and cringe worthy. Dick stood in the doorway for a few more seconds, listening as the noise repeated itself over and over, before crossing the carpet to the bathroom. He was barely at the threshold when he heard an annoyed groan from inside.

“For the last time, Damian,” Tim spat – literally and figuratively. _“Go away.”_

Dick peeked in the door and grinned sympathetically. Tim was hunched over the toilet, head almost completely submerged in the bowl. The loose-fitting t-shirt and shorts were plastered to his skin via sweat and he was paler than usual. “Sorry, Timmy.” He said gently, leaning against the doorframe. “I’m a little harder to get rid of than he is.”

Tim glanced up with watery eyes and breathed through his mouth. Then he grimaced, beginning to shake his head. “Aw, Dick…”

“Don’t worry. He told me what he was doing. Thought it was funny. I told him it wasn’t and locked him in the pantry. I give it twenty minutes before he gets out. Then I’ll lock him in his own bathroom.” Dick pushed off the wall. “Now come on, Tim. Let’s get you back to bed, okay?”

Tim continued shaking his head as Dick approached. “Dick…don’t get near me, you don’t want to catch this.”

“Please. I have the immune system of a god.” Dick laughed, taking hold of Tim’s arm. It was clammy and dangerously hot.

“No, I mean,” Tim pulled his arm back lightly. His eyes widened and he leaned back towards the toilet. “I don’t think I’ll make it from bed to here if I…” Another gag. “I think I’ve gotta stay in here, man.”

“Fair enough,” Dick gently patted Tim’s back as he sat on the edge of the bathtub. He rubbed circles at the base of Tim’s neck with his thumb as the younger continued to dry heave. After a few minutes, Tim sighed and sat back, resting his head against the porcelain seat. Dick continued to smile as he pulled Tim away from the toilet by his neck, simultaneously reaching for a towel.

“Dick, I told you, I don’t think you should-”

“Like a _god_ , Timbo.” Dick scolded fondly. He pulled Tim back against his stomach, gingerly dabbing the sweat from his forehead. Tim finally relaxed, draping an arm across Dick’s leg and closing his eyes. “Now respect your elders.”

Tim sighed as Dick wiped off his face. When he finished, Dick tossed the towel into the basin behind him, then shifted so one arm was tight across Tim’s chest, the other hand carding gently through the younger’s greasy hair. For the first time since the plague had hit him, Tim felt himself drifting off into sleep.

“Thanks,” He muttered softly, leaning back into Dick’s torso.

“It’s what I’m here for.” Dick whispered back, planting a kiss to Tim’s temple. “But please tell me when you need to puke again. I’d rather you didn’t do it on my pants.”

Tim hummed a laugh, turning his head to bury his cheek against Dick’s shirt. “Now you’re just asking for it.”


	3. Pain and Gain - Tim, Bruce & Alfred

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Alfred explains to Bruce the habits of his children.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right around Bruce’s return from the time stream, let’s say. Yeah. Like within the first three months he was back.

Bruce paused in his stroll and turned as he heard the quiet steps of Alfred approaching behind him. “I’m not one to give up on one of you boys so easily,” The old butler started. There was a fond smile forming under the mustache. “But Master Richard is much more capable in handling the task of putting your youngest to bed than I am.” 

“I never thought I’d see the day.” Bruce chuckled as Alfred reached him and they resumed walking the halls of the manor. 

“Unfortunately, it seems Damian has picked up some of your bad habits as well as your good ones.” Alfred hummed. “And is currently arguing that he should do a second patrol around the East Quarter, and I quote, ‘just in case.’” 

Bruce frowned as they rounded the corner. “I thought Dick told me he was bitten by Croc tonight?” 

Alfred nodded. “Seems he inherited your belief that if you ignore an injury it doesn’t exist.” 

“Funny,” Bruce deadpanned. “I’ll check on him in a little while.” 

“He, of course, isn’t the only one.” Alfred mused. 

“What do you mean?” Bruce asked. 

“Master Timothy does the same thing.” 

“When would he have ignored an injury?” Bruce furrowed his brows as they moved to another corridor – ironically, the one where Tim’s room was. 

“At current times.” Alfred said, solemnly. “It’s not an injury, per se. And I don’t know the whole story. I don’t think even Richard does.” 

“Alfred,” Bruce warned as he drifted towards Tim’s door. 

“Stabbed, a few months ago.” Alfred’s voice lowered as Bruce opened the bedroom door without knocking. Tim was inside, looking dead to the world, asleep on the mattress. He was on his side, face contorted in concentration, muscles twitching as he dreamed. “Lost his spleen because of it.” 

Bruce spun around to stare at him, his eyes wide. 

“I only know because I saw the scars from the surgery,” Alfred glanced at the boy in the room. “And, before you ask, no. I don’t know who performed said surgery. Timothy won’t tell us. Richard stopped asking about it a few weeks after you returned to us. Damian stopped mocking him for it after Tim started agreeing with his insults.” 

From inside the room, Tim groaned. Apparently his dream wasn’t going well. Bruce could hear words being formed, but couldn’t quite catch what they were, and wondered if they were even in English. Tim suddenly began to curl into himself, his knees pulling up from underneath the blanket. His arms jerked and twisted, his hands slowly dragging across his torso until both were piled over the same spot on his lower abdomen. 

“The others don’t see it. Or, if they do, they ignore it for his sake.” Alfred’s voice was sad as Bruce went into the room. “When he gets too stressed or tired. When things aren’t going well, he feels it. A phantom pain, right where his hands are. You’ll catch him clutching it while he sleeps, or holding it as he stands at the computers. Whenever.” 

Bruce knelt next to the bed, watching as Tim’s dream continued to take over his actions. His words were still garble, his face was still pinched. It was when Bruce noticed Tim’s fingers digging into his stomach, blood blooming underneath his nails, that he reached out, grabbing Tim’s elbow. 

“Tim,” he said softly. “You’re okay, Tim. You’re safe.” 

Tim jumped, eyes bursting open. He let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. Bruce felt the muscles beneath his hands shift and loosen. “Bruh…Bruce?” 

“You’re okay, Tim.” Bruce repeated. “I’m here.” 

“You’re here…” Tim muttered as he caught his breath. He blinked a few times, glancing around the room, noticing Alfred at the door. His eyes roamed back to Bruce’s face and a smile broke out across his lips. 

Before Bruce could register the movement, Tim shifted forward slightly, breaking Bruce’s grip to wrap his arms around the man’s neck. Tim clung to him for a few seconds before Bruce returned the gesture. When he did, Tim buried his face in the crook of Bruce’s neck. Bruce felt the boy smile and chuckle, his embrace tightening. 

_“You’re here.”_


	4. Sons - Jason, Tim, Damian & Talon!Dick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the Talon looks suspiciously like Grayson as a child, but so obviously is not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based on Forever Evil, Owlman is really possessive of his Talon, so I can’t help but think those feelings and emotions were returned by his sidekick as well? Uh, **warning implied character death.** Tim was thrown into the dumpsters. Sorry it’s not longer, I dunno.

“Well…this is weird.” Jason stated. He heard the clicks of Tim extending his staff beside him, the shuffle of Damian getting into a defensive position.

“I’ll say.” Their opponent agreed. He looked an awful lot like Dick Grayson, if Dick Grayson was still fourteen and had a proficiency for lethally sharp knives. His head shifted as he subtly looked down at Damian. The mask’s eyelets narrowed. “You look an awful lot like O, you know that?”

“I do now.” Damian returned sarcastically.

“Robin, don’t.” Tim ordered. Jason was suddenly grateful when the brat listened.

“Yeah, but…” The other – he’d called himself Talon – shifted, holding his knives against his hip, cocking his head curiously. “You shouldn’t look like O.”

The three of them remained quiet.

“ _No one_ should look like O,” The Talon suddenly seemed wary. “O has no relatives.”

“…He could.” Damian retorted calmly. “If your ‘O’ is anything like my father then…well, anything is possible.”

Talon was getting angry, Jason could see it. Gently, he shifted in front of Damian, but that wasn’t enough. The Talon was suddenly on the wall, like a goddamn _spider_ , shoving a spiked boot against Jason’s helmet. It cracked almost on impact, sending Jason reeling against the opposite brick wall of the alleyway. Sharp pieces of fiberglass stuck to his face as the helmet shattered. There was a crash at the dumpsters a few feet away. Wobbly, Jason turned around slowly.

“Owlman doesn’t have another child.” The Talon hissed, grabbing Damian by the throat and throwing him backwards. Before Jason could react, Talon thrust one of those deadly knives into Damian’s stomach and dragged it up his chest. All the kid could do was look surprised as the elder boy leaned close to his face. “ _I am his only son._ ”


	5. Lookalike - Bruce, Tim & Damian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim plays a bit of a prank. Damian is not amused.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For such an avid interweb user, I’m a little embarrassed to say I don’t know who Lil Bub is? So I just went with Grumpy Cat. And Tim lied, he’s totally antagonizing Damian, but he’d like to think Dick would find it funny too, so he doesn’t think he’s really breaking any rules.

Bruce paused in his reading as an angry shout echoed through the hallway. It wasn’t the scream, or the frantic barking that went with it, that was surprising – unfortunately, that was relatively normal – but rather the almost-manic laughter that followed.

As the sound died out, the repeated thumps of running footsteps took its place. A few seconds later, Alfred passed by the door to the library, seemingly unfazed.

“Um…Alfred?” Bruce asked, scrambling from his seat. “Is everything…okay?”

“Perfectly, sir.” Alfred said flatly.

“Then what…” Bruce trailed off as Titus’s barks carried once more, followed by what sounded like someone being tackled. “…is going on?”

“Master Timothy brought Damian a gift from his travels.” Alfred deadpanned. “I do believe Damian is just expressing his gratitude.”

As if on cue, Damian let out a shriek. “I should let him _bite your entire arm off_ , Drake!”

And Tim just laughed.

The two were suddenly sprinting around the corner, Titus bouncing happily between them. In one hand, Damian had the escrima stick Dick had given him months ago. In the other was a…well, Bruce wasn’t entirely sure.

He let Tim and Titus pass him, but stuck his arm out to catch Damian. The boy gave a rough shout, fighting against his father’s grip.

“Damian-”

“Drake is an _insufferable simpleton_ who isn’t worth anyone’s time!” Damian attempted to persuade. “Just let me get rid of him so he’s out of all of our hair!”

“I don’t understand _, little brother_!” Tim called mockingly from the end of the hall. “I just brought you a present out of the goodness of my heart!”

“You said I looked like this thing!” Damian held up what Bruce now realized was a stuffed animal. A little tan cat with an oddly downturned face. “I do not look like a _deformed cat_!”

“…Are you _sure?_ ” Tim drawled with a smirk. Damian let out another roar, launching the toy through the air. Tim ducked, but it was unnecessary as Titus leapt up, catching the object in his mouth and trotting happily back to Damian.

“You are a useless cretin!” Damian continued to rage, pushing against Bruce’s arm. Bruce caught Alfred’s amused eye roll as he continued down the hall.

“ _Boys_ ,” Bruce ordered in exasperation. “Damian, you can’t kill Tim. Tim, I thought Dick told you to stop antagonizing him.”

“Oh, he did, he did. This isn’t antagonism, it’s merely…keen observation.” Tim’s gaze drifted down to the stuffed toy Titus had now laid at his boy’s feet. Bruce repeated the motion and…well. Tim wasn’t exactly _wrong_. “I mean, I guess you’re just lucky I didn’t get _you_ one too, Bruce.”

Bruce frowned at the implication. “Gee, thanks Ti-”

“But I think Selina did.” Tim’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “In fact, I’m about ninety-eight percent _sure_ she did.”

Bruce narrowed his eyes and, after a moment, let go of Damian.

“In my defense,” Tim called quickly, backing up to spin around the corner as Damian ran at him. “She said she thought of you because it was cute!”


	6. Logic - Dick, Jason, Tim & Damian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The older boys try to explain a simple game to the youngest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is hella stupid, oops.

“This shouldn’t be this hard.” Jason drawled. “Kid, why do you have to ruin _everything_.”

Damian didn’t respond, but Dick saw the small shift in his emotions. The embarrassment spreading across his cheeks, the slight hurt in his frown. Jason wouldn’t see it, he didn’t know Damian well enough, and wasn’t that a shame?

Damian huffed, looking down at Titus at his feet. “I was just _saying_ …”

“He’s got a point.” It was Tim, surprisingly, coming to the child’s aid. Jason stared at him accusingly. “I mean, I’m not saying it’s not _fun_ , or useful in dolling out responsibilities and stuff. But it _is_ pretty weird.”

“Rocks beating scissors makes sense. If you strike the metal enough, it will break.” Damian added, as if the logic behind it would change anyone’s mind. “But paper beating rock? What type of paper is it? I have never come across any that strong.”

“You’re over thinking it.” Dick tried. “It’s a game, it’s not supposed to be-”

There was suddenly something flying through the air, smacking against Jason’s face. When it clattered to the ground, Dick realized it was…well, it was a rock. Jason let out a curse, wiping the small trickle of blood off his cheek.

Dick turned to see Damian’s arm still outstretched. “Damian, where did you…”

“See? _Skin_ can’t beat a rock.” Damian justified. “What makes you think _paper_ will?”

Tim tried to stifle his laugh. “Again, he’s…got a point.”

Jason narrowed his eyes. Damian took the hint, and immediately backed up a step. “Oh, you are _so dead_.”


	7. Commotion - Jason, Tim & Alfred

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason mourns at Dick's grave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jason is mega drunk and swears a lot.

“You _fucker_.” Jason hissed. “You asshole. You good for nothing, piece of _shit_.”

Tim and Alfred glanced at each other sadly. They had been in the kitchen when they heard a commotion outside. Fearing it was the press again, Tim went out ready to defend the Wayne grounds against anyone and everyone. But when they got out there, all they saw was a line of empty bottles leading from the cemetery entrance to where Jason was stationed in front of Dick’s grave.

“Who gave you the right?” Jason continued, wobbling slightly. Alfred stepped forward in reflex. “Who gave you the _fucking_ right?”

“Jason…” Tim started. Jason suddenly took his half full bottle of whiskey and lobbed it at Dick’s gravestone. It burst on impact.

 _“Who the_ fuck _said you were allowed to go and die?!”_ He shrieked. Alfred gasped and Tim already had enough. He rushed forward, grabbing Jason’s fist as he swung it down towards the marble stone. Jason pushed against Tim’s weight for a moment, but then backed away, shaking his head. “No one did. You asshole. Always doing things people told you not to.”

“Come on, Jay.” Tim murmured, wrapping an arm around his waist, pushing Jason backwards. But Jason was like a rock, unmoving. “It’s cold out here, let’s get you inside.”

“Bruce said don’t go off on your own, and then you did. With that stupid skintight suit.” Jason continued, elongating the s-syllable of every word. “Everyone said don’t take in the homicidal assassin kid, but you did that anyway. You did, and made that little tit a fucking _hero_ , and-”

Jason paused, as if he suddenly remembered something. Not moving away from Tim, he turned his head towards another gravestone nearby. Tim gave another experimental push, but Jason didn’t even sway.

Suddenly Jason pointed, tone dropping. _“You.”_

Tim looked up, following Jason’s finger. He was pointing at Damian’s tombstone.

“He fucking _loved_ you, you know that?” He snapped. “You broke his goddamn heart, brat. Broke it to a thousand pieces.”

Jason shifted, turning towards Damian’s stone. Tim wrapped both arms around him, trying to pull him back. Jason bent, picking up one of his empty bottles, throwing it. It didn’t even reach Damian’s headstone, so he tried again. Alfred rushed over, putting his hands gently on Jason’s chest.

“You broke it, and he wouldn’t let me _help_ him.” Jason spat, continuing to point accusingly over Alfred’s head. “You hurt him, and I will always _hate_ you for that.”

“Master Jason, please.” Alfred’s voice was thin and drenched in agony. His boys were shattered, and there was nothing he could do to help them.

Alfred’s voice seemed to snap Jason out of his stupor. He looked down, blinking as if he didn’t realize Alfred was there. He looked to his side, giving Tim the same confused look.

“…Dickie’s not here.” He said blankly. “Dickie’s not here, and I…” Suddenly Jason leaned all his weight against Tim, looking like a lost child. “…I don’t know what to do.”

Slowly, Tim lowered Jason to his knees. Alfred followed, unable to stop the tears silently falling from his eyes. He reached out, pulling Jason against his shoulder. Tim stood over them, head bowed as he rubbed at Jason’s back.

“He died.” Jason slurred absently.

“I know, my boy.” Alfred breathed, smoothing a hand over the back of Jason’s head. “I know.”

“He wasn’t allowed. I told him he wasn’t allowed, because we’d already lost Damian, that little shit.” Jason continued. He seemed disconnected from what he was saying. Tim wondered if Jason would remember saying these things at all. “But he did it anyway.”

Alfred nodded, but seemed unable to do anything else.

Jason’s brows furrowed, eyes traveling back to Dick’s headstone. After a few seconds, he looked up at Tim, face still empty. “What an asshole.”


	8. Locked In - Tim & Jason

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They're locked in a pet store. Who woulda thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may have taken your request of ‘anything fluffy’ a little too…literally.

“Of all the things we’ve ever been through, or I imagined ever happening one day,” Tim said thoughtfully, sitting on the checkout counter. “This is…weirdly…not one of those scenarios.”

“And what, you’re going to sit there and complain about it?” Jason huffed from the floor. He glanced up at Tim incredulously.

“No, I just…I don’t know.” Tim shrugged, then frowned. “You know, technically you’re messing with store property. And I bet this place has a ‘you break it, you buy it’ policy.”

“I would buy every single one of these fucking things, and be happy with my life choices.”

“You don’t have the space to care for forty-two puppies and seven kittens.” Tim argued. One of the puppies broke away from the hoard around Jason’s legs, and noticed him. It barked timidly, trotting over to stare up at him.

“The manor does.” Jason retorted nonchalantly. “And I bet you I can steal the coveted title of _Damian Wayne’s Favorite Brother_ from Grayson if I showed up with all of these.”

“But that would mean you’d have to move back into the manor.” Tim countered. “And _that_ would mean being near Bruce a hell of a lot more than you are now.”

“Meh,” Jason sounded, grinning as he ducked his head, letting one of the puppies jump at his hair. “Necessary sacrifice. I could deal with it.”

The puppy staring at Tim suddenly jumped up against the wall, whining and pawing at his foot. Tim drew his leg up to his chest. The puppy whined again, catching notice of a few more puppies and two of the kittens. Before Tim could move again, two growling Beagles were tugging on his cape, while one of the kittens tried to claw its way up it.

“If one of those babies gets hurt trying to play with you like that,” Jason warned, tone serious. It was still a viable threat, even with that tiny kitten balancing on his head. “You’re a dead man.”

Tim sighed and rolled his eyes, gently lowering himself onto the floor. Like Jason, he spread his legs out in front of him. Immediately, there were chirps and cries of joy as the small animals realized there was a new person to have fun with.

“Hey, Oracle?” Tim asked into his earpiece. Dodging both the ball Jason threw and the oncoming stampede as he lifted three of the kittens to safety. “Any luck with the locks?”

“None yet.” Barbara answered, and Tim heard the echo from Jason’s communicator. “For a small pet store, their security is pretty tough.”

“Not the cages.” Jason hummed with a laugh.

“Yeah, well, not many animal-cage locks are made to stand up to bullets shot at point blank range.” Barbara drawled. “And for your earlier conversation, Hood? You can’t steal all the puppies.”

“I didn’t say I was _stealing_ them, I said I was _buying_ them.”

“Still.” Tim insisted as Jason grabbed a box of treats from the shelf behind him. The animals all jumped in excitement, tails whipping at Tim’s legs and feet. “You can’t take the puppies. _Or_ the kittens.”

Jason flashed a grin. “Try and stop me.”


	9. Worried - Bruce, Alfred & Dick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The bird gets sick, and the bat frets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let’s say Dick is like 8, and hasn’t been at the manor very long. I don’t know Doc Thompkins’ history in comics, so if she was in the lives at the time, I have no idea.

It had all happened so…fast.

One day he was sniffing. The next a slight cough. But he was fine. He assured Bruce he was fine, so Bruce believed him. He hadn’t been with Bruce very long, but he’d never lied before, why would he start now?

That’s what made Alfred’s call such a surprise. Made it so…utterly terrifying.

“Master Bruce, you must return home immediately.” Alfred’s voice was strained on the phone. Frightened. “Master Richard collapsed.”

When he got to the manor, he saw Leslie’s car outside. Alfred was on the upper landing when Bruce burst in, pacing the hallway. He paused as Bruce took the stairs two at a time, watching with him worry-filled eyes.

“He’d passed out on the stairs. I…” Alfred was shaking as he led Bruce down the hall. “I wasn’t near him when it happened, only heard it. By the time I got to him, his head was bleeding. And…oh, sir. He just looked so _small_.”

“You did what you needed to, Alfred.” Bruce gave him a grim smile as they reached the door. Leslie was just crossing the threshold as they stopped. “So?”

“Mono, I’m pretty sure. That coupled with fatigue caused the fall. He admitted to me that he hasn’t been sleeping and hasn’t been eating much, so that probably added to it. Bump on his head needed seven stitches, though.” Leslie explained, glancing back. “I gave him some pain meds to help him sleep. He needs plenty of rest, but should be good as new in a few weeks.”

“Good. That’s…” Bruce nodded as exhaled. “That’s good to know.”

Leslie smiled. “You can go in, if you want to, Bruce.”

“Oh, I don’t…” Bruce immediately shook his head, taking a step back. He could see Dick from where he was standing, could see the bandage across his head, the slow rise and fall of his chest. The bed was almost completely engulfing him. Bruce’s voice shrunk. “I don’t know if I can do this, Leslie. What was I thinking, taking in a kid?”

“You probably weren’t. But trust me, you’re doing fine, Bruce.” Leslie said, encouragingly. She turned to Alfred, putting a hand on his shoulder. “You too, Alfred. Now stop worrying, the both of you. He’s a little boy, and little boys do stupid things. They get hurt. They get sick. So long as you’re there to pick them up off the ground and tuck them into bed, they’ll be okay.”

A cough echoed from the room, and Bruce looked in to see Dick blinking slowly. Bruce gulped, and Leslie elbowed him. “Did I mention he asked for you?”

“What?”

“You and Alfred both, while I was stitching the cut. I told him you’d both be in as soon as I was done.” Leslie nodded. “Don’t make me a liar, now.”

Leslie walked away then, muttering about making tea and coming back to check on them in a half hour. Bruce immediately pushed the bedroom door open, with Alfred close behind him. As he stepped into the room, Dick looked over. A warm grin spread across his face, but was immediately replaced with a grimace as he winced.

“Headache?” Bruce asked softly, sitting on the edge of the bed. Dick stared at him a moment before his eyes fell to Bruce’s hand, then flopped his own out, taking hold of Bruce’s fingers.

“Yeah. Dr. Thompkins said I probably have a concussion.” Dick murmured. His eyes flickered up, watching Alfred straighten the comforter over his body. “Sorry I didn’t tell you I wasn’t feeling well. You were busy, I didn’t want to worry you.”

Bruce chuckled, enclosing Dick’s hand in both of his. “That plan kind of backfired, didn’t it?”

“Yeah.” Dick repeated with a pout. “Are you going to go back to work today?”

“I wasn’t planning on it.” Bruce conceded. “I was going to stay with you, if you don’t mind.”

Dick’s bright grin returned instantly. “Not at all!”

He tugged Bruce closer by his hand, then leaned against Bruce’s side. Bruce smiled, rearranging his arm around the boy’s shoulder. He watched as Alfred nervously continued moving around the room, picking up dirty clothes and rearranging items on the tables. “Hey, Alfie?”

“Yes, Master Richard?”

“Thank you for calling Dr. Thompkins.” Dick said warmly. “I’m sorry I scared you.”

“It’s quite alright, my boy. But please, let’s not make a habit of it.” Alfred returned the smile. “Now would you like me to go make you some tea?”

“Hm…” Dick pursed his lips. “That would be okay. But I’d much rather you stayed up here with Bruce and I. Maybe even read the next chapter of that book you started last night?”

Alfred finally paused in his movement, eyes glancing to the thick volume on the nightstand. When he looked back up, he had a grin matching Dick’s across his face. “It would be my pleasure, sir.”

As Alfred approached the other side of the bed, Dick sat up, looking excitedly up at Bruce. He was practically giddy as Alfred also sat on the mattress, clearing his throat and opening the book. Dick hummed excitedly, hanging onto Bruce’s hand across his shoulders as he settled further into Bruce’s side. Before Bruce could stop himself, he leaned down and kissed the crown of Dick’s head.

Dick sighed contently, closing his eyes as Alfred continued the tale.


	10. Caregiver - Damian & the Outlaws

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When all else fails, there's always the Outlaws

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There’s a threat against Damian, so Dick dropped him at Jason’s for safekeeping. It’s almost 1a, I don’t really know what I’m doing anymore. I’m sorry if this is terrible.

“Are you hungry, Damian?” Kori asked, floating close behind him. “Dick said you liked sweets.”

“No, thank you.”

“Come on, kid.” Roy drawled, flopping over the sofa as Damian passed. “You haven’t _lived_ until you’ve had a Tamaranian cookie.”

“Perhaps later.”

Luckily, Kori stopped following him to converse with Roy, and Damian quickly slipped down the hallway. Silently, he pulled the pin out of his pocket, sliding it into the lock on the far door. He crouched, working at the barrier for less than a minute. He heard a soft click, and grinned when the door pushed open. He shifted to stand once more, when a wave of warm air blew across his ear.

“What’re we doing?”

Damian jumped, collapsing back against the wall, staring up at a cackling Jason. His shock wore away instantly, and he balled his hands into fists. “Todd!”

“I doubt Grayson told you to _behave yourself_ for his health.” Jason chuckled, pulling the door closed once more. “I don’t think you trying to break into my room is considered _behaving_.”

Damian huffed. “I don’t see why it’s locked anyway. What do you have to hide?”

“Hmm, maybe some deadly weapons.” Jason’s amusement immediately dropped. “You don’t have to arm yourself, Damian. I promised Dick I would protect you, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

“I’d rather be prepared than not.” Damian hissed back, crossing his arms. “Besides, I just wanted to _see_ them. The guns are handmade, correct?”

“Hell yeah, handmade.” Jason waved off the comment. “And what, you think we aren’t prepared to save your sorry butt if someone came through that door right now? How does having a literal flame-haired, alien _warrior princess_ in the sitting room count as not prepared?”

Damian practically pouted. “She offered me cookies.”

“And you better have taken some because they are friggen’ delicious.” Jason commented. “But that, surprisingly, doesn’t answer my question.”

“Jaybird! The doc’s about to start!” Roy suddenly screeched from the sofa. “And I’m not rewinding it for you if you miss the beginning.”

“Come on.” Jason sighed, seemingly dropping the subject, hefting Damian up over his shoulder. “Let’s just go relax. Like normal people.”

“But we aren’t _normal people_.” Damian hissed, smacking his back. “And _put me down._ I can _walk_ you-”

“Then let’s just pretend we’re normal people, okay Batbaby?” Before Damian could argue again, Jason threw him down on the sofa between Kori and Roy. “Now sit there and shut up, or I’m locking you in the bathroom for the rest of your stay. Got it?”

“ _Jason_ ,” Kori scolded, holding a plate up to Damian. Damian eyed the food on it suspiciously.

Kori smiled at him and Damian sighed, giving in. He found that Roy and Jason hadn’t been lying, the treat was delicious. He grabbed two more. “So…what drivel am I being forced to watch?”

“A documentary on how they make gummy bears.” Roy said gleefully, leaning towards Damian and throwing his arm across the back of the sofa. Kori set the plate on the table, and sat politely next to him, thankfully keeping her hands to herself. “I’ve been waiting for them to air this all _month_.”

“It’s educational.” Kori agreed.

Damian raised an eyebrow, looking first at Roy, then Kori, then landed on Jason, who was sitting on the chair next to them. Jason stared back, cocking his head in question. Damian sighed again. “You three are supposed to be the _terrifying villains_ of the underworld.”

“We are.” Jason grinned, settling back into his chair. “Proud of it, too.”

“We just like gummy bears.” Roy added, chomping on one of the desserts.

Damian rolled his eyes, leaning his head back. “This is _ridiculous_.”

“Hey.” Jason’s head turned sharply, and he pointed at Damian. “One more insult, and I’m shipping you over to Tim’s, got it?”

Damian immediately clamped his mouth shut, but glared angrily at his brother. Kori merely patted his shoulder sympathetically.

“That’s what I thought.” Jason snorted, glancing at Kori. “And you told Dick I was a terrible caregiver.”

“Oh, of course.” Kori rolled her eyes, sharing a knowing and apologetic look with Damian. “I stand corrected.”


	11. Sins - Tim & Jason

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason studies his scars. Tim comes to a different conclusion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this with the headcanon in mind that the pit _supposively_ took Jason’s scars when he was submerged in it.

Jason grunted awake and sat up. Tim didn’t turn to look at him. He had to finish this report. He’d been working on it for six hours and was in the homestretch. He heard the squeak of the old mattress as Jason shifted.

“Don’t move too much.” Tim muttered. A few more sentences, and then he’d turn around. Almost there. “You’ll open the stitches.”

Jason hummed. “Wouldn’t be the first time.”

Tim didn’t comment. Jason remained so silent for the next ten minutes Tim almost thought he’d fallen back to sleep. Not that he’d blame him, the man deserved some rest after everything that happened. After Tim satisfyingly hit the send button on his report, he spun his chair around, surprised to see Jason sitting up, staring down at his hands.

“If it’s any consolation,” Tim tried. “We caught the guy who went after you. Dick and Damian are still at the precinct interrogating him now. For as much as that kid claims he hates us, he gets awfully intense against those who try to do us harm.”

Jason grunted again, not looking up.

“You okay?” Tim asked after another pause. He rose from the desk, stepping slowly over to the bed. Jason slowly opened his mouth, then thought better of it and shook his head with a sigh.

“They didn’t go away.” He muttered. Tim glanced down at his wrists. There were scars there, some darker and more prominent than others, crisscrossing up his arms and through his chest. Tim avoided staring directly at the scar he knew was from the autopsy. “It was the one thing I never understood.”

“What are you talking about?”

“The Pit. It’s supposed to restore. To make new. And for the most part, it did.” Jason gently ran his fingers over the darker scars. The jagged ones, the ones that made him look like Frankenstein, or a literal meat suit. “It took most of the marks away but…but not these ones.”

Tim sat on the mattress. “Do you know what they’re from?”

“The explosion. I hadn’t gotten out of there in one piece, you know.” Jason said thought full. He ran a thumb over a zigzag on the opposite wrist, turning his arm as he did so. It was the first time Tim realized the scar was a complete circle. He’d lost his hand. “The autopsy. Maybe my body just didn’t forgive me for failing. Heh. Or maybe the man upstairs is all… ‘ _Your sins aren’t getting forgiven that easily, pretty boy.’_ ”

“You didn’t…” Tim started without thinking. Jason glanced up at him. “You didn’t fail.”

Jason pushed his hands against his chest, trailing down the Y-incision. “Proof’s in the pudding, Replacement.”

“Yeah, it is proof.” Tim frowned. “It’s proof that the world tried to knock you down, take you out, but not even…not even losing limbs and being killed could keep you from helping people.”

“Newsflash, loser.” Jason sighed, flopping back down. “I’m not exactly in the hero business anymore.”

Tim smirked. “You and I both know that’s not true.”

“Do we?” Jason rolled his eyes.

“If you were out of the hero business, you wouldn’t be running with two former Teen Titans.” Tim laughed dryly. “I don’t know, Jay. I wouldn’t count the scars as your sins. I’d count them as your victories.”

Tim got up then, as an alert beeped on his computer. Jason watched him stand at the desk before rolling onto his side with a sigh. “That was super lame.”

“Oh man, sorry I can’t be super cool like you all the time.” Tim drawled, turning his head with a smirk.

“Aw, you think I’m cool?” Jason asked sweetly, obnoxiously fluttering in his eyes.

Tim scoffed. “Hardly.”

“Ah!” Jason threw a hand against his chest, right where an autopsy and explosion scar crossed. “You _wound_ me, Timothy.”

Tim snorted. “You’ll live.”

Jason met Tim’s eye and smiled, a mischievous glint in his eye. “I always do, don’t I?”


	12. Secret - Terry & BatFam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Terry McGinnis gets sent back in time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve realized that it’s been ages since I’ve watched Batman Beyond, and my memory of Terry’s personality is very bare. Sorry if I effed up.

“Stop.” Bruce thundered. Terry jumped, clutching at Titus’s collar.

“Why?” Terry asked. “I mean, I’m not telling you how to live your life, Bruce, but the dog’s bored to death. He needs played with.”

Bruce stared. “Alfred will handle it.”

As Bruce turned to leave, Terry stood up. “The kid would want you to play with his dog.”

Bruce froze, and without looking back, muttered, “You don’t know what Damian would want.”

“Not personally, no. But I can tell by his drawings he loved this slobbering mutt.” Terry said harshly. Bruce spun around then, his eyes furious.

“You were in his _room_?” Bruce snapped, stepping towards him. “You went through his _things_?”

“What can I say? I was curious.” Terry shrugged. Suddenly Bruce reached out, grabbing his shirt. “Whoa, hey man-”

“ _Never_. Don’t you _ever_ ,” Bruce hissed. “Go in that room again. You are a guest in this house and you will follow my rules. Never again, are we clear?”

“Crystal.” Terry said dryly. Suddenly Titus jumped between them, pushing Bruce back. When Bruce glanced down at him, the dog whined sadly. Bruce sighed, dropping to his knees and petting the dog gently. Terry watched for a moment before following suit. “I…I didn’t mean to, you know. Go in there. The dog pushed me in, pushed me towards that easel.”

“Perhaps he…thought you were Damian.” Bruce whispered. “Maybe you smell like him or something.”

“Don’t see how.” Terry said flatly. “But yeah, maybe.”

~~

“If I had to pick a gravestone for a ten-year-old, this is not the direction I would have gone.” Terry hummed, glancing back at Tim as he approached.

“No?”

“Nah.” Terry shoved his hands in his pocket. “I’d try to make it like…his favorite thing. Or super colorful. But if anything, I would at least have his _name_ on it. Big, obnoxious letters. Show that the kid meant something, you know?”

Tim laughed. “Sorry Terry, but you definitely do not know Damian Wayne. That’s just…not his style.”

“I gathered, yeah.” Terry shot back. “But I would do it anyway. Maybe out of spite.”

“Spite?” Tim questioned, looking over at him. “For the dead kid?”

“Yeah. Especially Damian. He was a little turd, from what I could gather.”

“That’s putting it lightly, but…yeah, he was.” Tim nodded with a sigh. “In his own…weirdly cute way.”

“Exactly.” Terry continued. “So I would make his grave this crazy big thing just to annoy him. Because, you know, how dare he leave his family behind so heartbroken.”

Tim stared at him in confusion for a moment before chuckling, staring at the monument in front of them. “Damian would hate you.”

Terry smirked mischievously. “Oh, I know he would.”

~~

“Tell me what I can do, Alfred.” Terry pleaded, following the butler down the hallway. “I’ll do anything. Just _talk_ to me. Say _something_.”

Alfred stopped and turned. “You’re tracking mud through my house.”

Terry sighed, slumping. “Okay…anything but _that_.”

“I’m not quite sure what you expect of me, Master Terry.” Alfred continued down the hall.

“I’m expecting a lovable old British guy.” Terry followed along, undeterred. “D… _Dick_ always talks about you being this big family man. Always full of advice and love and good-natured barbs. That kind of thing. I haven’t seen much of that yet, to be honest.”

Alfred paused again, whispering quietly as he looked down. “For the second time in less than ten years, I had to bury a child of this family, who died in the line of fire. And this time it was the youngest.” Alfred glanced up at him, tears brimming in his eyes. “Please forgive me if I am not…my normal self.”

Terry remained silent, putting his hand on Alfred’s shoulder. The man gasped, holding a gloved hand up to his face. “You will be leaving us soon, Master Terry. I have no doubt. Back to your own time. And I just…” He breathed a sob. “I do not wish to become attached to another one of you, only to have you slip through my grasp once more.”

Alfred broke down then. Terry just gathered him into his arms.

~~

“ _Man_ ,” Terry breathed, as soon as he came through the rift. The older man at the control panel glanced up. “You really did a number on them, you know that?”

The man scoffed. “Don’t remind me.”

“Hey, how long were you dead for anyway, Damian?” Terry asked, leaning against the computer base. Damian pressed a few buttons and Terry looked back, watching the portal close.

“About two years.” Damian mumbled. Suddenly his neck straightened, and he looked up at Terry. “You didn’t tell them anything, did you?”

“Lips were sealed.” Terry clicked his tongue, seemingly taken aback. “I know you don’t mess with peoples’ timelines. Does this look like it was my first rodeo?”

Damian relaxed, leaning back in the chair. Terry could tell he was exhausted. He must have been sitting at that computer trying to reopen the rift for days. “I know, McGinnis, I just-”

“I only might’ve mentioned it to that redhead. What was his name? Colton? Colton Whittaker?” Terry thought out loud. Damian’s eyes narrowed.

“Colin Wilkes?” he hissed.

“Yeah that one.” Terry looked back at Damian. “What? He was upset about it. You know I can’t handle kids who are upset.”

“Well, that would explain a few things from when I returned, I suppose.” Damian sighed, clearly defeated. “Otherwise…you did good, McGinnis. Go home and rest up.”

“You should too.” Terry muttered, pushing off the computer. “But, Damian?”

“Hm?” Damian didn’t look up.

“You don’t…I don’t know what you’re trying to make up for, working this hard all the time.” Terry said gently. “You never did anything wrong back then. You were a _hero_ , and they all thought that. Even Tim Drake. From what I could tell, they…they were all ridiculously proud of you.”

Damian still didn’t move, but Terry saw he had stopped typing.

“But I don’t know.” Terry shrugged, continuing towards the door. “I just wanted you to know that.”


	13. Praise - Terry & Jason

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They've all had encounters with the Joker

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve only seen Return of the Joker once, and don’t remember much. I hope I’m not completely inaccurate.

“Don’t look so smug.” Jason called as he entered the training area. Terry paused in his routine, knowing that if he didn’t give Jason Todd his full attention, he’d whack him with his cane. Again.

“What are you talking about?” Terry sighed.

“You weren’t the first to beat the tar out of the Joker.” Jason gruffed, crossing his arms. He glanced over to the computers where Dick and Damian were comparing evidence of the latest case. “They both did it once too. Each.”

“Awesome for them.” Terry muttered, turning back to the dummy. “I’ll have to ask them about it sometime.”

“Yup.” Jason continued. Terry heard the squish of his feet on the practice mat. “Dickie almost killed him, but then got all guilty and sad about it. I don’t know, he doesn’t talk about it much.”

“I imagine not.”

“Brat Wonder over there locked himself in an interrogation room with the nutjob and beat him with a crowbar. I was almost touched when I heard about it.” Jason sounded almost fond. “But he was an idiot and fell into the Joker’s trap. Almost fucked everything up.”

“I saw the tape.” Terry nodded.

“Joker just killed me.” Jason continued, walking up next to him. He leaned against the practice dummy, demanding Terry’s full attention. “I mean, when I came back to life I almost got him back but…well, you know.”

“And I’m sorry for that.” Terry said. “Look, Jason. It’s good to see you and all, but I-”

“But _you_ ,” Jason cut him off. “You beat the shit out of that madman, actually captured him, and came out of it relatively unscathed. Not only that, but you did it all by _yourself_.”

Jason was grinning, and according to Dick that was never a good sign. He immediately went on the defensive. “So what?”

“ _So…_ ” Jason drew out. Suddenly his eyes softened. “Good job.”

Terry twitched, unsure how to take the praise. “Um…what?”

“You did what none of us could.” Jason pushed off the dummy, heading back across the floor to where Damian was staring at him expectantly. Terry just stood there, dumbfounded. “For once…Bruce might have been right. Maybe you _are_ the best of all of us, McGinnis.”


	14. Fault - Tim, Jason & Damian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which something happens, and Damian blames himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tim and Damian bonding is probably the one thing I need to happen in canon more than anything else.

Tim couldn’t stop the sigh that escaped his mouth. Damian continued to pace behind him, the unease rolling off of him almost palpable. Tim glanced up at Jason’s face. His eyes were barely open, the drug cocktail to numb the pain having taken over his systems twenty minutes ago, but he was still conscious. His gaze met Tim’s and he nodded.

Slowly, Tim laid the sutures down on Jason’s stomach and turned. The room was small, but Damian was in the far corner, his need for space obvious. When he spun around to repeat his path across the floor, Tim called. “Robin.”

Damian didn’t look up, or even acknowledge that he was there. As he got closer, Tim stepped in front of him, and Damian ran right into his chest. Damian blinked and looked up, scowling. “Out of the way, Drake.”

“No, Damian,” Tim grabbed the boy’s shoulders as he tried to bypass him. “Just stop, okay?”

Jason snorted quietly from the makeshift operating table on the floor.

“It wasn’t…” Tim mumbled. “This isn’t your fault.”

Damian scoffed, attempting to pull back. “Save me your bleeding heart.”

“Just listen to me, for once. Okay?” Tim ordered, tightening his grip. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Like _hell_ I didn’t.” Damian spat, yanking himself backwards. “The gunman was _mine_ to cover. I didn’t, and Todd got shot. If _you_ hadn’t gotten him out of there, then he would’ve…then…then _Father_ wouldn’t…”

It clicked. Tim looked down at Jason. “Aw, hell.” Jason muttered, covering his eyes with his un-bloodied hand.

Tim turned back to Damian with a smile. “Bruce won’t blame you for this.”

“You don’t know that.” Damian said softly. He crossed his arms, staring at Jason’s torn and bloody shirt on the ground. “He still thinks I’m too violent. He’s been cutting my patrol times. Giving me more ‘rest days.’ I think he’s…” Damian spun away from them, facing the wall. “I believe he is attempting to find for a reason to send me back to Mother.”

Jason let out a string of curses, mostly aimed at Bruce.

“He’s not.” Tim denied immediately, forced to raise his voice over Jason’s rants. “And you know what? Even if he was? We won’t let him do that.”

“We _who_?” Damian clicked in disbelief.

“Me, Jason, Alfred…” Tim smiled, putting a hand on Damian’s shoulder and turning him back to look at him. “Dick.”

Damian’s face immediately scrunched into a pout.

“Dick thinks you’re the best thing since sliced bread.” Tim continued. “He wouldn’t let Bruce send you back to Talia for _anything_.”

Damian’s features morphed again, now into consideration.

“And you know what? If you didn’t want to go back?” Tim asked softly. “Then I wouldn’t let Bruce do that to you either.”

Damian’s eyes twitched wider as he glanced up at Tim, looking for deception, no doubt. Finally he scoffed, rolling his eyes to hide his gratitude. “Ridiculously sentimental, the lot of you.”

“Probably.” Tim laughed. Patting Damian’s shoulder, he pushed him slightly towards Jason. “Now come on, I could use your help. Someone’s going to need to hold Jason’s hand while I finish the stitches. Even with the drugs, his tolerance for pain is _surprisingly_ low.”

Jason just swore again.


	15. Punished (Part 1) - Jason, Tim, Dick & Damian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys find themselves on a new world - Justice Lords AU.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I didn’t do as much research on the Justice Lords as I said I was going to, so…I winged it. Haha, I hope this is okay. Whatever persona Dick is, he isn’t wearing a mask.

It was the only building they could get into. Everywhere else was locked, or no one would let them in. They were too scared. Most of them claimed they had done nothing wrong before slamming the door in their faces. That the Justice Lords had no business knocking on their doors.

It was a big building, but mostly empty. And that was good, really. It’d give the three of them time to settle down, figure out where they were, tend to their wounds. Especially Damian’s. Jason had been half-supporting-half-carrying him for at least a mile. The kid was turning pale.

As they walked down the hallway, they passed two doors, thrown open from each other. Immediately Tim and Jason froze, seeing someone inside. He was caped, looking eerily regal. But that wasn’t what made them pause. What made them stop was what he was doing. He was holding another man by the throat, leaning over him with a tool shoved through his forehead. The man was whimpering in agony, tears streaming from his eyes, trying to grab at the small knives already lodged in his chest, but his torturer seemed unbothered by it.

Damian lifted his head from Jason’s side, blinking slowly as he took a ragged breath and looked into the room himself, wondering why they had stopped. He blinked two more times before, “Gray…son?”

The torturer stopped and turned his head in surprise at hearing his name. Because it was him, it was Richard Grayson.

“Who are you?” He demanded, dropping the injured man. As he took a step forward his eyes landed on Damian, taking in his bloody form. “And _what_ have you done to that child?”

Dick moved towards them, and suddenly had a dagger in both hands. “No…” Damian breathed, pushing into Jason’s side. Jason immediately shifted his arm, putting Damian behind him. “No, _you’re_ not Grayson.”

“And _you’re_ not from around here, are you?” Grayson’s voice was snide, watching as Jason drew a gun and Tim his staff. He grinned, and it was malicious, a caricature of the one the three of them knew and loved. His laughter was low. “Oh, we are going to have _fun_ today.”

“We don’t want to do this, man.” Jason called.

“Neither do I.” Dick shrugged. Suddenly he was in front of them. Tim was pushed to the ground, Damian was grabbed and one of the knives was pressing harshly against Jason’s throat. The only noise was Dick’s cape settling around him. “But when you don’t follow the rules, you must be _punished_.”


	16. Interrogation (Part 2) - Batman, Superman, Jason

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason is questioned - Justice Lords AU.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t even know. Jason, control yourself. Don’t be an asshole.

“For the-” Jason grunted. “- _millionth_ time! I didn’t hurt him!”

“You have no identity, no alibi, and no one here to back you up.” Superman said slowly, passing in front of the cell. Batman watched quietly from the corner.

“Well I _would_.” Jason hissed. “If your fucking errand boy didn’t grab the kid and knock him out!”

“It was better for his injuries.” Batman shrugged. Jason gave a shout of annoyance, pulling against his restraints. Superman paused in his pacing, just long enough to sting at Jason’s wrists with his heat vision.

“And where’s the other one, huh?” Jason shouted. “Where’s Tim?”

“He requested to stay with the child. Since we have no suspicions against him, his request was granted.” Superman explained. “The _errand boy_ is currently protecting them.”

“I swear,” Jason breathed, gritting his teeth against the pain. “I swear, any of you assholes so much as touch those two, then I really _will_ kill somebody.”

“You’re not helping your case.” Batman mumbled, as he held up a communicator. “And with some injuries being found on your other companion…you don’t have a lot of room to lose your temper.”

“They’re your kids, you know!” Jason screamed, lurching forward. Superman froze and Batman looked up. “The kid is yours, by _blood_. Tim’s yours legally. Fuck, you even adopted _me_ too.”

“Impossible. I have no children.” Batman countered instantly. “Other than-”

“Dick fucking Grayson. I know.” Jason grinned lazily. Superman threw the cell’s door open, ripping Jason away from the restraints. He couldn’t help it. It was too fun to mess with Bruce, no matter the universe. His grin turned wicked.

“What are you talking about.” Superman snapped. Jason didn’t answer. Superman grabbed his throat, holding him a few feet off the ground. “Explain yourself, or I’ll snap your neck.”

“Surprise, Brucie.” Jason drawled with a light chuckle. Batman’s eyes widened, and he stepped forward, clearly torn between letting Clark give out his punishment and pressing for answers. Superman’s hand tightened, but Jason didn’t drop his grin. “It’s a boy!”


	17. Basic Cable - Barbara, Stephanie, Jason & Tim

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Bats are all up on their pop culture. Really.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t watch a whole lot of TV outside of the news, sports and Arrow, so I don’t know reality TV much. So I hope these are all still real shows. I meant to include everyone in this, but then Steph and Jason took over. I don’t know what happened to the TV, but apparently Tim knew how to fix it.

“Clearly,” Stephanie exclaimed, flopping over the side of the sofa. “Jason would be on

_Survivor_

.”

The pillow was flying at her face before the sentence was even out of her mouth.

“Now I can see why Replacement broke up with you. Poor sense of humor.” Jason rolled his eyes. “But obviously, I would be on – and _win_ – _Master Chef_.”

“You would _not_.” Barbara sighed, wondering how they had gotten onto this conversation in the first place. “I’ve seen what you cook yourself, and force poor Kori and Roy to eat.”

“Yeah, sorry I don’t have Alfred’s kitchen.” Jason drawled. “But if I did, you’d see.”

“Fine, tomorrow night, at the manor.” Barbara challenged. “You’re on.”

“Cass would clearly be on _American Ninja Warrior_.” Stephanie continued.

“That’s sort of cheating.” Tim muttered from by the TV, through the wires hanging from his mouth. “Because she’d _win_ _Ninja Warrior_.”

“Let’s be real, Timbo.” Jason drawled. “We’d all win whatever show we were on.”

“Tim would be on _King of the Nerds_.” Steph continued, pointing lazily at whomever she was talking about. “Babs and I would be the super inspiring team on _The Amazing Race._ ”

“Dickie would be on the _Bachelor_.” Jason grinned as Barbara shook her head at Stephanie. “And then the _Bachelorette_ the next season.”

“Ugh, gross.” Stephanie rolled her eyes. “Would Bruce be on one?”

“Yeah, _Five Obnoxious Kids and Counting_.” Barbara mumbled.

“Please, that’s not a real show.” Jason clicked.

“Is, actually.” Tim chimed from somewhere behind the entertainment center. “Or, well. It’s called something different. A little nicer of a title.”

“Yeah, you guys would be more suited for something _like Keeping Up with the Kardashians._ ” Stephanie mumbled, sticking her finger in her mouth and fake gagging. “ _Watching the Waynes_ , or something.”

“Well, I think you’ve gotten everyone now.” Barbara laughed. “What about Damian?”

“ _My Cat From Hell_.” Jason said instantly.

“Okay, we’ve gotten away from the kind of reality shows I was talking about.” Stephanie hummed slowly. “Besides, Little Alfred is completely well-behaved. Strange, considering Damian’s the one who trained him.”

“Still. _My Cat From Hell_.” Jason repeated, taking a swing of his beer. At that moment, the television blinked on. Barbara immediately picked up the remote, switching on the movie player as Tim sat between Jason and Steph. Jason grinned at them. “Damian’d be the _cat_.”


	18. Switched - The Five Robins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keeping track during a body swap is impossible, even for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trying to write body-swaps and be focused on a film is the hardest thing in the universe. I don’t recommend it.

“This is…” Tim – Damian – breathed, looking at his hands in horror.

“ _Great_.” Stephanie  - Jason – practically growled. She – he – was in front of a mirror.

“You better be admiring my _muscles_.” Damian stood next to him, but really it was Stephanie. Damian turned to the mirror and sighed. “ _God_ , kid. I didn’t realize you were _this_ short.”

“Now, now don’t start.” Dick, who was stuck in Jason’s body, ordered. He came over to where Damian was still staring at his hands – Tim’s hands. “Bruce is at the Watchtower getting the antidote now.”

Damian glanced up with Tim’s eyes, but was immediately distracted by Dick’s body walking awkwardly to the computer.

“So don’t get comfortable, Drake.” He called. Dick turned. “You’ll be back to your worthless self in no time.”

Dick scowled, and that was an unsettling sight.

“You either,” Jason said with Dick’s warmth, flicking at his head. “And no injuries on purpose, got it?”

“Whatever, Grayson.” Damian frowned, and his mouth felt too large. “Er…Todd. What am I supposed to call you?”

“Call by personality, not body. If…that makes sense.” Jason’s face pinched.

“Huh, weird.” Tim’s head cocked to the side. “I’ve never seen what Todd looks like when he uses his brain before.”

“Hey!” Stephanie spun around, pointing. “I heard that, you little shit.”

Dick couldn’t stop his snorts of laughter, and quickly he threw a hand over Jason’s mouth.

“You want to say something, Goldie?” It was odd seeing Stephanie hunch her shoulders, have her eyes narrowed like they were. “I can still take you down like this.”

Tim – the one stuck in Dick’s body – sighed and turned as a message appeared on the computer. He opened it to see Bruce, obviously in the Watchtower laboratory. “How are things going?” Bruce asked.

“Well enough.” Tim shrugged, and Dick’s shoulders were heavier than he was used to. “This is Tim, by the way.”

“Hopefully I won’t have to remember that.” Bruce rumbled. “The antidote is in production now. But it won’t be done before dawn. Think you five can hang on that long?”

Tim turned back, just in time to see what looked like Stephanie jumping on Jason’s back, with Tim himself about to join the fray, but Damian was holding him back. He sighed once more, glancing back up at the monitor with a weak smile. “Yeah. We’ll…figure something out.”


	19. DNA - Bruce, Clark, Kon, Tim, Damian & Dick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Turns out, Kon wasn't Clark and Lex's kid, he was Clark and Bruce's.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I assume the blood-Waynes are constantly despairing of who they choose to associate with. Especially in situations as such.

“No.” Damian snapped. “No, that’s…that’s wrong.” He spun around to Dick. “Grayson, tell me that’s wrong!”

“Well…” He stuck his tongue against his cheek, pressing the keys on the computer. “I mean, we can run it again, Damian, but I don’t think…”

“So Lex Luthor deliberately lied.” Tim questioned, and they could all hear the amusement in his voice. Damian wanted to hit him. He looked at Kon and grinned. “I knew there was a reason we were friends.”

“Lied or didn’t know.” Bruce grunted. His eyes were watching Damian, deciding what to do should the boy attempt to lash out. “It could have been a mistake in the lab.”

“So does that mean I have to be nice to the kid?” Kon asked Tim. Tim shrugged, glancing over at Damian smugly. “I mean…technically, he’s my brother.”

“Technically you’re all of us’s brother.” Tim chimed happily. “Welcome to the family.”

“We are _not_ brothers,” Damian hissed. Dick instantly grabbed the boy’s shoulder, pulling him against his side.

“DNA says otherwise.” Tim almost sang. And he was practically giddy, which only made Damian’s blood boil faster. “Which means you aren’t allowed to try and kill him anymore.”

“He wasn’t trying to kill Conner in the first place.” Dick sighed, forced to wrap both arms around Damian’s shoulders. “Tim, don’t egg him on, or I _will_ let him go.”

“So…” Clark mumbled from beside Bruce. “What does that make us?”

“Sperm donors.” Bruce mumbled.

“Dads.” Clark suddenly grinned, elbowing Bruce in the side. “That makes us co-dads.”

“No it doesn’t.” Bruce said quickly.

“So, do you want him every other weekend, or…”

“Stop it.”

“He’s a growing boy.” Clark could barely contain his laughter. “He needs to be with both of his parents, _dear_.”

Bruce rubbed a hand down his face. Glancing across to the computer, he could see Damian was receiving the same kind of torture from Kon and Tim. “I hate you.”

Clark finally let out a string of loud, barking laughs. “Wait until Diana gets a load of _this_.”

Clark already had a line open to the Watchtower on his communicator. Bruce just sighed.


	20. Flashback - Jason & Tim

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason didn't know.

It’s not like it was going well in the first place. He, Dick and Cass were going after the Joker. The madman had already taken – and potentially killed – Stephanie and Damian. Their weapons were dwindling. There was a thunderstorm going on. Everything was against them.

Suddenly, he was falling. He didn’t remember it happening, but he knew the Joker had pushed him. At the last second, he looked up, just in time to see the Joker impale Dick through the chest.

He opened his mouth to scream, and was engulfed in water.

It was cold and thick, and in Tim’s panic, he couldn’t get his mouth closed in time. Water slammed against his throat as he tried to move his arms and legs. His body wasn’t listening to him, and the drink was still forcing itself through his lips.

His scenery flickered. No longer a dream, but flashbacks. That time with Two-Face. The docks. The weights on his legs. His limbs exhausted within seconds. The possibility Bruce wouldn’t get there in time…

The scene settled, just as his vision began to darken. Just as Dick’s dead body landed in the bay next to him.

No. Not again. Not again, _not again_ …

He sat up screaming, sucking in large gasps of breath, shaking as he felt beads of water cascading down his face.

“Whoa, buddy. It was just a little water.” He heard Jason to his left and looked up. The man was standing over his bed, a bucket under his arm. His face was amused at first, but as he took in Tim’s wide eyes and haggard breathing, he frowned. “You okay?”

Tim couldn’t stop gulping at air enough to answer. He kept staring up blankly, even as Jason placed the bucket on the ground and sat on the edge of the bed. He reached out, wiping some of the water away. And it was still so cold, so much like-

Tim slumped forward against Jason’s chest, shivering as the cooling water met Jason’s body heat. Jason hesitated for a second before slowly wrapping his arms around Tim’s shoulders, running his fingers up and down his back to generate warmth.

“Aw…fuck.” Jason sighed. There was a hint of realization in his voice, and Tim was glad for it. He didn’t want to explain it. He didn’t even want to _remember_ it. Slowly he nodded his face against Jason’s neck, and the older man’s guilt was palpable. “I’m sorry.”


	21. Welcome Home - Jason & Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason is finally home and Tim is the first one he sees.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is short and non-shippy, whoops. Tackles of convenience are Jason’s favorites. He planned to tackle the first person he saw in the cave, and it just so happened to be Tim.

Tim got about two seconds warning before an arm came around his throat, pulling him from the computer chair, and throwing him to the cave floor. As soon as he hit the cool ground, a heavy weight plopped on top of him.

“Erm…Jason?” Tim grunted, glancing down at the man sprawled on top of him. His eyes were closed, arms spread out to the sides.

“Shhh, you’ll ruin it.” Jason sighed.

“Ruin…what?” Tim gently pushed at Jason’s shoulders. The man didn’t react, and worse, didn’t budge.

“The moment.” Jason hummed. “I haven’t seen another flesh-and-blood human being in two weeks.”

“Oh, um. Well, welcome home. Glad you’re not dead.” Tim muttered. He heard the patter of claws near the stairs, and looked to see Damian walking with Titus. Tim whistled, and both dog and boy looked over. Damian raised an eyebrow, taking in the elder two’s positions. Tim reached an arm out, mouthing, “Help me.”

Damian stared for a moment longer before smirking and clicking his tongue for Titus, starting up the stairs to the manor. Tim sighed, bouncing his head off the cave floor in annoyance.

They were still on the ground an hour later – Jason fast asleep against Tim’s chest – when Damian returned with Dick and Alfred in tow.


	22. Tactics - Talia & fem!Damian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Talia has a discussion with her daughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I used all pronouns like a huge nerd because naming characters is my weakest trait.

They would never be a family, she knew that now. The love between her mother and father had faded over the years, strained even more over her own existence. Bruce did not know about her. For thirteen years, Talia kept his own daughter a secret.

“Mother, stop.” She ordered, leaning back from the table and standing. “He will not be joining us.”

“I did not raise someone who would give up so easily.” Talia hissed, not looking up from the layouts in front of her. The buildings of Gotham. Wayne Tower. Wayne Manor. Those last two were new. Talia was getting more and more personal. It made her slightly uneasy.

“I’m not giving up.” She huffed, crossing her arms. Slowly, she strolled towards the window, staring across the empty desert. “I…simply…”

The scratching of Talia’s pen stopped. “You simply what?”

She sighed. “The weeks I spent with Father and his brood were…enlightening, to say the least.”

“How so?”

“They don’t need to kill to strike fear.” She turned back to Talia, who was watching her carefully. “They have found punishments worse than death. Sometimes violence is not even needed.”

She had tried to keep her amazement at bay, but now that she had started she couldn’t hold back. She felt the ends of her hair sway across her collarbone as she gesticulated and moved her head.

“The one called Grayson has mastered the art of having the criminal trust him. With kind words and sarcasm alone he can bring someone’s guard down and strike efficiently. Even Drake, as obnoxious as he is, can ruin someone’s life without even touching a hair on their head. He’s cunning and a force to be reckoned with on his own.” She watched as Talia’s attention turned to amusement. It was rare she was this excited about something. “And Father himself. Well, you know all about that, don’t you, Mother?”

Talia nodded. “I do.”

“I’m just saying,” she suddenly felt flustered and turned back to the window. “Perhaps there’s other methods than just ours. Have I mentioned Barbara Gordon? Cassandra Cain?”

“No need. I know about them.” Talia stood. “So, what do you want to do, my love?”

She shrugged. “I wish to mesh the tactics. Both yours and Fathers. That’s what I was created for anyway, correct?”

“In a way.”

“Then I shall do so. Though, I must say, Father’s lack of lethality is interesting. I wish to try it as a main method for a while. His use of anonymity is also quite appealing.” She listed off. Something blinked in the sky and she looked up, recognizing the shape of an aircraft. It was landing about half a mile away.

“I’ll ask you again.” Talia said softly. She was closer now. “What do you want to do?”

“I want…to help the innocents. I want to fight the evil.” She whispered, watching as some sort of land vehicle detached from the plane. Already she could see the shape of Bruce Wayne, flanked by one of his child soldiers, though from here she could not tell which it was. Last time she had seen him, he’d sworn Talia would not keep his daughter from him any more. It looks like he was staying true to his word. She smiled, leaning out the window. “I want to be the Batman.”


	23. Experiment - Tim & Damian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim was going to kill them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The aliens were doing some sort of testing on human interactions and reactions. More a probe into the minds than their bodies, if that makes sense.

Their cells were only across the hall from each other. At closest, there was five feet between them, at furthest thirteen feet. But Tim felt like he was at least three miles away.

“I swear on _the entire human race_ , you touch that kid again I will rip off every single one of your tentacles and force you to _eat them_.” Tim shouted, kicking his leg out through the bars. The alien guards barely looked at him, instead focused on their commander, who was in Damian’s cell, holding the kid two feet off the ground by his hair.

Damian, bless his heart, was already bleeding from his nose and a gash on his forehead, but was still able to glare over at Tim in distaste. Tim didn’t care, they’d been there for a month, captured by these extraterrestrials and no contact with any other race or species. These creatures left them alone days at a time, fed them very rarely. But today, apparently, was different. Today, they came into the dungeons while the two were sleeping, waltzed into Damian’s cell and began beating him into the ground. Tim asked questions – and knew they understood English, they spoke it when they had nabbed the two of them – but had thus far been ignored entirely.

The alien commander made a strange hum-clicking noise. The guards in the aisle returned similar sounds. Tim barely blinked and the leader was jabbing his spiked fist into Damian’s abdomen repeatedly. Damian’s face instantly shifted into pain as he sucked his lips through his teeth to stop from screaming.

Tim screamed for him, throwing his arm through the bars to grab at the guard closest to him. He realized what he was shouting after the fact. “I will kill you! _I will_ kill _you!”_

And strangely, that seemed to be the magic words. The one holding Damian suddenly dropped him, stepping out of the cage without looking back, as Damian curled into a ball.

But that wasn’t the strangest part about it. Instead of just leaving like Tim expected, one of the other guards turned, opening the door to Tim’s cell and stepping out of the way. Tim stood there for a moment, looking between his two options. The aliens weren’t leaving. The three of them were just standing there, watching him. He could take them down. That’s what he’s been promising to do for the last thirty minutes anyway.

Damian groaned and Tim came out of his thoughts. No, there weren’t two options. There was only one. Ignoring the creatures’ many, many eyes, he crossed the aisle into Damian’s prison. He walked around the boy’s body, positioning himself where he could still see the aliens before gathering Damian into his arms. He was soaked in his own blood that was still running. Slippery and sticky, and Tim felt his rage flaring once more.

“Stay with me, Damian.” Tim breathed, trying to wipe some of the blood off the child’s face. When they had arrived on this planet, the inhabitants had stripped them of their weapons and masks, leaving barely enough to cover themselves. He had nothing to stop the bleeding, nothing to stitch the wounds. Once again, his brain tried to run through his options, but he was realizing quickly he didn’t have any. “You’ll be okay.”

“I know.” Damian sighed, closing his eyes in acquiesce. “You wouldn’t have been though.”

There seemed to be some sort of contentedness behind the barb. Like Damian was happy they’d beaten the daylights out of him instead of Tim. Because he believed he _could_ take it, whereas he wasn’t completely sure Tim would be able to do the same.

Despite the situation, Tim smiled and snorted a laugh, situating Damian more comfortably against him. He heard the sound of something being placed on the floor and looked up. The third guard placed a small box on the ground and pushed it forward. Tim leaned over to see bandages and medical supplies.

“It was stated the two of you do not like each other. You…reacted differently than we expected.” The guard said as he moved backwards out of the cell. “Please call one of us if he needs pain medication, or anything else.”


	24. Drunk - Jason & Damian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason lets Damian get drunk. Dick has to deal with it. Bruce is useless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based on vaguely true experiences. Sorry about that. Damian is like…17, an much drunker than Jason.

Jason burped. “You…you know what?” 

Damian sighed, flopping over to lean against Jason’s arm. He didn’t have enough energy to open his eyes. “Hmmm…?” 

“Bruce...” Jason took another swig of his beer. He dropped his arm across Damian’s shoulders. “Fuck. Your dad is terrible.” 

Damian scoffed. But it wasn’t as sharp as normal. He took another sip of his wine. “Tell me about it.” 

“He’s _mean_ , and _grouchy_.” Jason slurred, attempting to enunciate each insult. “And is crankier than…a cat dropped in a bath.” 

Damian paused, and then giggles bubbled out of his throat. Jason smirked across the room. 

“And they all say only Grayson can work wonders with this kid.” He drawled, pointing down at Damian. The younger man was doubled over against his shoulder, his giggles having turned to almost hysteric cackles. “Who’s the favorite brother now, asshole.” 

Dick frowned. “I told you not to let him drink that much.” 

“What, you don’t want a happy brat?” Jason snapped back. He reached down, pulling Damian up by his shoulder. Damian blinked, like he wasn’t sure where he was. “You here that, Damian? Papa Bat and Graydad here don’t want you to be happy.” 

Damian pursed his lips, looking up at Dick, but gaze drifting quickly to his left. “That’s not very nice.” 

“I think it’s Bruce’s fault.” Jason concurred. “Because _Bruce_ isn’t very nice. I ever tell you I wanted a dog when I was little? He said no.” 

“I said we already had a dog.” Bruce rumbled from the desk. “Now stop trying to get Damian on your side.” 

“Ummm _helloooo_ Bruce!” Jason shouted, motioning to Damian. “He’s _already_ at my side.” 

Bruce just sighed, refusing to look up. Dick was already watching them, and he could tell his eldest’s patience was wearing thin. 

“You gave him such a shitty taste in alcohol too.” Jason continued. “Christ, I had to go buy him his own wine and all that. Why can’t he drink beer or whiskey like a normal person?” 

“He’s not even of age, Jason.” Dick sighed. “What are you even doing here anyway? Last I heard you and Roy were going off to Ireland.” 

“We did.” Jason hiccupped, gently smacking the top of Damian’s head. Damian flinched lazily with each hit, but nothing else. Dick didn’t get a chance to comment, though, as Jason continued. “Got the best booze you’ve ever even heard of. Drank a lot, raided the brewery…figured you losers would want to taste some too. But when we got here ev…everyone was out except brat wonder, here. Roy’s still in the ship. I think.” Jason suddenly grinned as he lowered the bottle from his lips. “But you know me, Dickie. I’m not one to waste good booze.” 

“You could have just _waited_.” Dick’s tone was crisp. 

Jason blinked slowly, then waved him off. “Naaah.” 

“Where…where is my cat anyway?” Damian suddenly asked. He tried to push himself out of Jason’s grasp, but floundered there. In the end he huffed, dropping back down against Jason’s chest. “You didn’t…” Suddenly Damian looked, and sounded, betrayed. “You didn’t throw him into a bath did you?” 

“If I did, I’d blame it on Tim.” Jason looked mischievous. “As a matter of fact…”

“Okay, we’re done.” Dick said, moving forward. “Damian, come on. Time for bed.” 

“Grayson.” Damian said gravely, grabbing Dick’s arm as soon as he was close. “I think something has happened to my cat.” 

Dick smiled. “Nothing’s happened to your cat. I promise.” 

“He’s lying.” Jason sang. “Why do you think we haven’t seen Timbo all night, eh?” 

Damian’s eyes widened as he jumped up. “Grayson, there is trouble. We must go.” 

Dick sighed as Damian began to drag him towards the door. Almost immediately, the youngest fell to the floor, all but pulling Dick with him. “Bruce, you going to help me or what?” 

Bruce glanced up, taking in Damian lying on the floor, Dick standing above him and Jason sitting smugly on the sofa. “Jason, stop giving Damian alcohol.” 

“That’s _it_?” Dick hissed. 

“Bad sons get more leeway.” Jason hummed, finishing off his bottle and reaching for another one. “Yo, brat-man! I’m finishing off your bottle, since you _obviously_ don’t appreciate it.” 

Damian suddenly rolled over onto his stomach, taking Dick’s arm with him as he tried to scoot back to the couch, muttering curses. “Maybe Jason was right.” Dick sighed, pulling Damian back and lifting him by his torso. Damian was practically dead weight in his arms. “You _are_ terrible, Bruce.”


	25. Favorite - Tim & Damian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim has children, and Damian suddenly cares.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This sort of became about Damian, whoops.

“I expected this from Grayson.” Damian said slowly, eyes roaming around the room. Dick was on the floor in the center of the room, two seemingly twin girls climbing all over him. “Potentially even Todd. But not _you_.”

Both Dick and Jason glared up at the youngest. Jason rolled his eyes from the sofa as Tim took the third child from his arms. “Thanks for the confidence, brat.”

“Just an observation.” Damian shrugged.

“Yes, yes. You’re so _disappointed_ , Damian.” Tim sighed, patting the toddler’s back, bouncing the little boy up and down. “I already know.”

“Not disappointed.” Damian sighed. One of the little girls climbing on Dick’s legs paused and looked over at him with a smile. She rose to wobbly three-year-old legs, pattering towards him. “Just…surprised.”

Tim turned to face Damian just as the little girl almost reached him. He opened his mouth to stop her when her foot snagged the carpet, and she went tumbling forward. Damian dove towards her, catching her and swinging her up in a wide arc through the air, before settling her into his arms.

Dick grinned excitedly, watching as the little girl patted Damian’s face gently with her fingers. He glanced at Jason first, then Tim.

Tim huffed. “Look, I just wanted you to be _aware_ , Damian. I didn’t mean you had to come over to see them.”

“I know.” Damian whispered, a small smile washing over his face as the little girl babbled at him, poking at his nose and mouth. “But I just…I just know what it’s like.”

“What…what’s like?” Dick asked softly, grin waning a little.

“What it’s like to be dropped on your father’s doorstep.” Damian responded. “And not necessarily be wanted there.”

“Oh, Damian…” Dick shifted to move to his feet, struggling as the other little girl continued to climb his shoulders. Even Jason sat up, more attentive.

“Don’t give me that look, Grayson. I’ve gotten over it. You helped with that, remember.” Damian explained loudly, before Dick could continue. “And I’m not saying Drake does not want them here. I am just saying that these children are much younger than I was when I was left in Father’s care. I would like to make sure they never feel the same as I did back then.”

“That’s…real good of you, kid.” Jason muttered quietly.

“I want to make sure they never feel like they are a burden.” Damian continued. The little girl was pulling at his hair now. “That they know they always have a family here.”

Slowly, with his son in his arms, Tim made his way over to Damian. He held his free hand out to the little girl. “Come on, sweetheart. How about we let Damian meet your other siblings, too?”

“No!” she shrieked, grabbing Damian’s face with both hands. “Uncle Dami is mine!”

“Honey-”

“ _Mine!”_ she repeated, pulling Damian’s face against her, staring at Tim angrily. “Go ‘way, Daddy!”

Damian smiled and nodded at Tim. Tim exhaled, rotating his hand to pat Damian’s shoulder. Surprisingly, he allowed the contact, even reaching out to smooth his own hand over the other toddler’s head. “Thank you, Damian.”

Damian smirked, meeting Tim’s eye before continuing further into the room. “You won’t be thanking me when all three of your children like me more than you.”


	26. Real - Jason

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason dreams of all the fates that could befall his family. And they're all terrible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t know what’s happening here. I wrote words and hoped they made sense. And I don’t know why he sees these things either, Anon.

He’d stopped trying to sleep.

It was easier to work himself into complete exhaustion, where there was no chance of these dreams occurring. Because these were things he didn’t want to think about. Didn’t want to see, repeated dozens of times over, sometimes multiple times a night.

Tim taken by the Joker. Barbara shot again. Dick being captured and unmasked. _Damian dead because of his good-for-nothing dad._ Cassandra just disappearing into thin air.

At first they were sparse, mixed in with his normal nightmares of crowbars and laughter. But soon they were every night, every time he closed his eyes.

Kori and Roy began to notice when they stopped by the manor a few weeks prior. Alfred had requested a special kind of medicine for the youngest of their brood, who had been injured against Two-Face. Damian was still on the gurney unconscious when they had arrived. Jason had practically panicked, running forward and tearing open the child’s bandages, waking him in the process. He hadn’t stuck around after that, wouldn’t answer Damian or anyone’s questions of why, leaving Kori and Roy to do the drop.

“It’s _something_ , buddy. Just let me do a blood test.” Roy pleaded for the thousandth time. “It’ll help us figure it out.”

“I’m fine.” Jason repeated. “It’s no big deal.”

He wouldn’t tell them what was wrong. He wouldn’t tell anybody. It was silly. Stupid. Pointless.

He could stand it. Figure it out. After all, he’d endured much worse. It’s not like these visions were _killing_ him or anything.

But he had been too late to stop it. Too late to convince his Outlaws he was all right. The last thing he remembered was sitting at the dinky table in the spaceship, drinking…something. Water? Juice? A beer? Everything was getting fuzzy and dark. He turned back to Roy, who was looking at him with a small apologetic smile.

“Sorry, Jaybird.” He whispered, catching Jason as he keeled to the side. “We’ll fix you up good, okay?”

Jason was halfway through a curse when darkness took over his mind.

_Tim captured by Ra’s al Ghul. Barbara losing against her psychotic brother. Dick strung up to be mocked and killed by citizens of Chicago. Damian, stolen by Talia and forced back into being an assassin. Cassandra not being able to call for help before it’s too late._

He felt his body kicking. Fighting against who knows what. Anything to get him out of this, anything to just _stop_.

And suddenly his eyes were open. He’s sweating, breathing heavily.

But.

There’s an arm around his shoulder. He’s being hugged into someone’s side. And Jason doesn’t know who it is, doesn’t _care_ at this point. He turns into the person’s chest, clinging to what he realizes is armor and Kevlar, and breaks into sobs.

“It’s okay, Jason.” Bruce rumbles. “Whatever you’re seeing. It’s not _real_.”

And Jason cries more.

Because he knows that it _could be_.


	27. Kansas - Bruce, Jason & Talon!Dick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Batman and Robin end up on Earth 3.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do Earth-3 peeps kill? Well, if they don’t, pretend they do for this one. Also, this is baby Robin!Jay. Just because. Also, was a little confused by your wording, so I just picked an interpretation. I hope I got it right.

“You’re new.” The boy quipped, swinging upside down behind Jason. Jason jumped and scowled, backing up into Bruce’s chest. The boy looked up at Batman. “And new digs, O? What gives?”

“Who the hell is O?” Jason snapped. The boy looked at him curiously. “Who the hell are _you_?”

“Robin.” Bruce grunted. Jason crossed his arms. “What’s your name, boy? And could you tell us where we are?”

“Name’s Talon.” The boy hopped down to the ground, black cape fluttering around him. His face shifted from pleasant to suspicious as he realized that Bruce was not whom he believed. “And you’re in Gotham City, mister.”

“This isn’t Gotham!” Jason shouted. Bruce grabbed Jason’s shoulders, yanking him backwards. Jason glanced grouchily up at him. “Hey B, don’t you think he looks kind of like-”

“Of course it’s Gotham.” Talon laughed. Suddenly his face froze, and his hand flew to his ear. After a second he looked up. “Love to stay in chat, but gotta go. Later!”

The boy suddenly turned, running down the alleyway, jumping back onto the fire escape.

“Hey!” Jason shouted, and before Bruce could stop him, was following the mysterious Talon to the rooftops. Silently, Bruce chased after, hoping he caught up to Jason before he did something reckless.

As Bruce made it to the top, he almost ran into Jason, who was frozen just inside the lip of the ledge. The boy’s eyes were wide, staring across the rubber tar. Bruce followed the gaze to land on the Talon about fifteen feet away. The boy suddenly had small knives in his hands. He was straddled over a man who was begging for his life. The boy seemed to be ignoring him, angling his knives towards the man’s major arteries. Quickly, he slashed the man’s thighs and wrists, resting the two blades against the man’s neck.

“For a serial killer, you’re awfully slow.” Talon hummed, slowly sliding the daggers across the man’s throat. Blood blossomed and cascaded like a waterfall. The man’s spasming limbs began to still. “No wonder Owlman didn’t think you were worth his time.”

As the man’s movements slowed, Jason glanced back at Bruce. “B?” He whispered softly as Talon stood, nonchalantly shaking blood from his hands. Bruce shifted to stand in front of his partner. “I don’t think we’re at Ma Kent’s farm anymore.”


	28. Dance - Cass & Damian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He didn't know she could dance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like most things, I know nothing of ballet. All I know is based off of two friends I had in high school who did this kind of thing, and I haven’t seen in like five years. So, I’m probably super outdated.

He didn’t know she was in town.

When he had opened the clock entrance to the cave, he expected no one to be there. Todd was out of town, Drake taking the night off to visit his meta-friends, and Grayson and Father were at some gala. Oracle and her birds, along with Batgirl and Huntress were taking care of things. Tonight, the city belonged to the ladies.

He himself had a fractured wrist, potentially a concussion, and for once gave into Pennyworth’s request of resting. So as he travelled down the winding stairs, the last thing he expected was soft – was it classical? – music coming from the training area. When he neared the mats, he paused at the corner, set to observe whatever was going on before taking action.

She was facing away from him, but he could tell by her form who it was, and couldn’t help but feel slightly nervous. He always looked up to Cassandra and her discipline. Quickly, however, he realized she wasn’t training at all, but…dancing?

To the tempo of the music, she extended her leg bending and reaching out with her arm. Then, as the song crescendo’d, she sprang up onto her back foot, all the way onto her toes, and began spinning. Her extended leg rose into the air, twisting around her body, gauging her speed. Suddenly, she twisted, leaping across the mats, falling into a position with her legs crossed, still on her toes, arms extended in a pose. Fanfare rose in the tune only to immediately fall out into silence. And as it did, Cassandra unlocked her knees, falling into a neat puddle on the ground.

As the echoes of the drums bounced off the walls, Damian realized his mouth was hanging open in a gape. Instantly, he snapped his teeth together. No one would know he did that. No one could see him. He’d take his awe to the grave.

“Hello.”

Dammit.

Cassandra looked up, face curious and open. Damian huffed, knowing he couldn’t deny his own presence there, not to her, and stepped forward.

“You…liked?” she asked quietly. Damian crossed his arms, bulky brace on his wrist digging into his chest, and refused to meet her gaze, shrugging shyly. “Want to…learn?”

When Damian glanced back up, Cassandra was unfolding herself, standing and moving towards him.

“Fun.” She encouraged.

Damian scoffed.

“Good training for…” Her hand rose to point at her head, then lowered to pat her chest. She reached out, gently taking hold of Damian’s casted wrist. “Might help for…this. Work body. Keep other…muscles strong and…str…” her eyebrows furrowed as she looked for the right word. In the end, she sighed. “Ready. Muscles ready.”

Damian watched her. Father had forbid him from any of his normal training, but he understood what his sister was saying. Dancing is another type of training. And his Father couldn’t angry at him for doing it, not if he was _bonding_ with his siblings.

“Come.” Cassandra tugged him forward, shifting over to the music system and pressing a few buttons. The song that had drawn Damian’s interest in the first place restarted as Cassandra pulled him back to the center of the mats. She positioned his wrapped hand out to his side, taking hold of his uninjured one. Suddenly, she was smiling, excited. “I’ll teach you.”


	29. Business - Tim & Oswald Cobblepot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boy was lucky that he was feeling generous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is like…a first meeting kind of deal. Prequel-ish. Tim sat there all night, and then came many nights after, learning all about businesses and how to run them, then used them in his own dealings with W.E. like a billion years later.

When immersed in a business deal behind his club, Oswald normally paid no mind to the delinquent souls who floated around. For some reason, a few of the girls in the kitchen would take pity on them, giving them scraps and leftovers at the end of the night, so they never bothered him or his associates. They knew who fed them. Or who allowed them to be fed.

But this was different.

He kept hearing a sharp clicking from down the alleyway. At first he thought it was the food truck, come to deliver ingredients for tonight’s Lounge guests. But it continued even after that. Panic struck in Oswald’s nerves. Perhaps it was Batman. It wouldn’t have been the first time that masked annoyance tried to sneak up on him.

Suddenly there was a crash by the dumpsters. Oswald’s hired hands all pulled out weapons, pointing them in the same direction. “Show yourself.” Oswald called lazily. “And I might tell them not to shoot you.”

There was a pause, followed by two small hands rising over the dumpster’s lid. Oswald frowned, snapping. His thugs lowered their weapons, but stayed on alert as their boss moved towards the stranger. Oswald held his own umbrella in front of him, checking to make sure it was ready to fire at a moment’s notice.

As he peered around the side of the trashcan, he blinked in surprise. It was a child. Small, no older than ten, probably younger. His hands were still up in the air, and the camera dangled around his neck. His fingers were covered in dirt and grime, and there was a hole in the knee of his jeans, blood dripping through it.

But that wasn’t the most surprising part.

Oswald knew him.

“Master Drake?” He questioned. The boy’s lips trembled and Oswald could see he was trying not to cry. “Travis, right?”

“Tim, sir.” His voice was high-pitched and nervous.

“What are you doing here, Tim?” Oswald demanded. Tim shrugged. Oswald reached out with the umbrella, tapping at Tim’s shins. “And what happened?”

“I-I was trying to climb onto the dumpster. Get a better look at what you were doing.” Tim explained. Slowly, he lowered his hands, both going directly to his knee. “The box I was standing on gave out. I fell.”

Oswald sighed. “Well, come on, then. No point in having you waste away out here.” He grabbed Tim’s arm, hauling him back towards the club. “We’ll call your parents while we get you fixed up.”

“They…they’re in Peru!” Tim countered. “And my nanny had a family emergency. I let her go back to her mother’s in Metropolis yesterday.”

Oswald paused as one of his associates pulled the door open. “Then I will take you home myself.” Oswald huffed. “At the end of the night.”

As they passed through the kitchen, Oswald called out to one of his waitresses. A few minutes later, she was pattering behind them, small first-aid kit in hand. Their journey ended in the office, and as the waitress showed Tim to one of the comfy chairs in the corner, Oswald fell into his own high-backed chair behind his desk, glaring down at the papers spread across it.

The woman was nice, smiling up at Tim and cooing reassuringly as the disinfectant stung his knee. Partway through the small operation, however, there was a knock on the door. Oswald looked up in annoyance, before sighing again, fixing the monocle in his eye.

“Listen here, Tim.” He squawked. “I will allow you to stay for the evening. But you are to remain in that chair, and _silent_. Understood?”

“Yes sir.” Tim whispered, nodding quickly.

“Do not embarrass me, kid. Or this is the last bit of kindness you or your family will ever get.” Oswald mumbled. Tim continued to nod. “And who knows? If you’re behaved, maybe you’ll learn a thing or two about the real world here.”

The knock on the door sounded again.

“Marlene, when you’re done patching him up, go find him something to eat. Or a book or something.” Oswald ordered. Marlene nodded, smiling up at Tim once more. There was a third knock, more urgent. Oswald leaned back, waving his hand in the air. “Alright, alright! Come in already!”


	30. Skill - Tim & Damian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Tim can change his gender at will, and Damian hates him. What else is new.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which Damian is probably like, 16. Tim is like…23? 25? Damian had been nagging him all day, asking questions and pulling hypothetical situations out of his ass about Tim’s ability. Tim found the perfect moment to be fed up about it.

“It’s nothing against you personally. This time, anyway.” Damian sighed, stomping after his brother. “I’m just saying, the skill is practically meaningless.”

Tim huffed, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. “It’s more helpful than you think it would be.”

“Give me _one_ scenario.” Damian challenged.

“Undercover is good.” Tim explained. “Less wigs and stuffing.”

“ _Hardly_ that helpful.” Damian scoffed.

“Can create different blood types and hormones.” Tim tried with a shrug as they turned into another alleyway. “Could help save a life at a moment’s notice.”

“Better.” Damian conceded. “Still not completely necessary.”

“Well thus far, the best use I’ve found,” Tim shrugged, stopping at the corner of the alley’s exit. He turned back to Damian with a smirk, features already changing, becoming more pointed and feminine. His loose shirt suddenly became less so. His fingers less muscular, and longer. “Is that I can easily beat the paparazzi.”

“The papara…” Damian’s eyes widened as Tim grabbed his arm, pulling him harshly out onto the sidewalk, where cameras and reporters were waiting at the front doors of Wayne Tower. It was just his luck that Vicki Vale was the first to notice him.

“Mr. Wayne!” she called. All of the others around her turned as well, and suddenly the mob was coming towards him. Within seconds, he was surrounded.

Quickly, Damian was shoving the microphones back from his face, turning his head back to the shadow of the alleyway. “Drake!”

“Who?” Tim cooed, throwing sunglasses over his suddenly angled eyes. He gave Damian a sharp smirk, watching as the paparazzi completely ignored the woman standing there, all attention on Damian. Damian scowled as Tim turned back into the alley, slowly sauntering away. “I don’t think I know anyone by that name.”


	31. Partners - Bruce, Dick & Alfred

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim and Jason are twins, and Dick doesn't think either of them should be Robin - Twins AU.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Even though twins, Jason would still be the technical ‘older’ one, and be all protective and stuff.

“Bruce, you know I don’t question your judgment without reason, but…” Dick started, staring across the cave at the two boys standing by the car. “…Are you _sure_ about this?”

“I don’t have much choice, do I?” Bruce mumbled.

“Of course you do. Say no to both of them!” Dick retorted. “I’m just saying. One partner is one thing. You’re about take on two. Two partners, two _children_. That’s going to divide your attention way more than when I was out there with you.”

“To be fair, Master Timothy was _quite_ adamant. He wanted to help Master Bruce just as you once did.” Alfred stepped between them, glancing at Dick with a knowing eye. “And Master Jason was equally adamant in his need to protect his brother.”

Dick grimaced. “Yeah, but Alfie…”

“And you’re right, Bruce’s attention _will_ be very divided.” Alfred cut him off. “That is why I requested you accompany the trio this evening.”

“…Fair enough.” Dick sighed. Bruce saw it was the end of his argument and pulled the cowl over his face, moving over towards the boys. Tim and Jason looked up, the former smiling brightly, while the latter just smirked. “Two Robins at once. That’s a gag we never were able to pull off when I was in the costume.”

“Not two Robins, sir. Just Timothy took that mantle.” Alfred corrected, turning to pick up the remnants of the pre-patrol snack. “Jason wanted his own, though stayed with the bird motif.”

“Oh yeah? What did he pick then?”

“His reasoning to me was that Bruce and Timothy would be what the public sees. He would be the shadow that protected them, that no one else would see him until he struck. That anyone touches his brother, he will attack them without mercy, much like a bird’s claw.” Alfred listed off. Dick looked over at the car as he pressed his mask onto his face. He could see Jason watching his brother as the other danced around the car, eyes critical and sharp. Vaguely, he wondered how long Tim and Jason were on the streets before Bruce found them. “So, he requested the name Talon.”

“Talon.” Dick repeated, small grin appearing on his lips as Tim helped apply Jason’s mask across his eyes. “I like it.”


	32. No Entry - Tim & Alfred

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim gets locked out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which Tim Drake plays the role of me, and Alfred plays the role of my father. Based on/a transcript of what happened when I arrived at my parents’ home to move back in after graduation.

“Master Timothy!” Alfred seemed both surprised and overjoyed to see him. He closed the front door behind him and came rushing down the manor steps. “Home safe and sound, it appears.”

“Ha, yeah. For once.” Tim breathed. He took in Alfred’s haggard and hurried look as the man rushed up to embrace him.

“I’m sorry to run, but I should be back soon.” Alfred explained quickly, breaking away. “It seems Masters Richard and Damian can’t keep themselves out of trouble, even out of the costumes.”

“Of course not.” Tim rolled his eyes fondly. “Take your time, Alfie.”

“Make yourself at home, and I’ll be sure to make your favorite treat once I return with the boys.” Tim nodded, and with that Alfred dashed to the car, pulling out of the driveway seconds later. Tim chuckled, shifting the bag on his shoulder. Slowly, he moved up the steps and, with relief, drops his hand onto bright door handle pushing on it.

The door didn’t move.

Tim’s nose scrunched and he pushed again, jiggling the handle. Still nothing. He sighed, rounding the house to one of the side doors. Same story. Maybe the one in the back? A repetition of the other two. Tim huffed through his nose, revealing the secret number pad. Through muscle-memory, he tapped the five-digit number in. The computer immediately buzzed red. Tim frowned, trying another number they commonly used. Another red-light.

“You’re kidding me.” Tim hesitated trying a third number. They used a three-strike rule. If he was wrong again, the whole system would lock down and burn itself out. Then _no one_ was getting into the house. After pondering for a minute, he pulled out his phone, dialing the car’s number.

“Timothy?” Alfred sounded concerned immediately.

“Did you change the security codes?” Tim asked, trying to sound nonchalant as opposed to exhausted. “I…can’t get into the house.”

“I didn’t, no.” Alfred hummed. “But I do believe Master Richard said Master Damian was doing some maintenance on the system last week.”

Tim sighed. Of course he did. That little…

“I am almost to his location.” Alfred continued. “I will ask him once he’s in the car.”

“Don’t bother. If you tell him why you need it, he won’t give it to you.” Tim waved it off, even though no one was there to see the gesture. Slowly, he made his way back to the patio by the side door, plopping down on the small couch by the flowers. “But I can’t guarantee this won’t be the start some sort of prank war or something.”

“No blood and no destruction of household items.” Alfred said, amused. Distantly, Tim heard the sound of a door opening, and Dick’s pleasant voice chattering away. “That’s all I ask.”


	33. Quarantine - Bruce & His Five Kids

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce really doesn’t know if he can fix it. Really he just wanted to hold his babies for, potentially, one last time.

The car was barely parked before Bruce jumped out of it. Alfred tried to stop him, tried to slow him down.

“Sir, you don’t understand.” Alfred huffed, trying to bypass him on the stairs. “It’s contagious, we believe even-”

“I know.” Bruce growled. Alfred froze behind him. “And I don’t care.”

“But Bruce…”

“They are _my_ children.” Bruce snapped, pushing the clock entrance open. “And they need me.”

He didn’t allow Alfred to follow him. The older man was right after all, the disease – whatever it was – was proving to be highly contagious. He was pushing seventy; Bruce wasn’t about to risk his life too.

It had happened while he was off planet. He’d received a call from Jason, of all people. Tim had collapsed during patrol, he and Cassandra were in the process of bringing him home. Hours later, a similar, and much more frantic call came from Dick. Apparently Damian had fainted too – off the side of a fifteen-storey building.

Bruce was in the air after that one, and had barely taken off from the terminal when Oracle was contacting him. Dick had hardly gotten Damian to the manor before feeling ill himself. Jason and Cassandra began to feel uneasy, and decided to impose quarantine on the Wayne home themselves. The blood tests done on Tim were just coming back, Barbara had explained, and the diagnosis wasn’t looking good.

The hallways were quiet, and Bruce never hated it more than right now. The creak of the stairs echoed hollowly, but the pounding of his feet on the floor didn’t ripple down the hallway. Barbara claimed they had all holed up in Tim’s room, since he was the first to show symptoms.

He could see the door was open, hear the dull tones of a television, and the soft whine of Titus. Slowly, he approached the doorway, and peeked in. Somehow, they’d all managed to fit on the mattress. Dick was closest to the door, back facing it. While he couldn’t see him, judging by the gap between Dick and Tim, Bruce assumed Damian was snuggled between them. Cassandra was sitting up on Tim’s other side, leaning against the headboard, eyes twitching between the television and Jason, who was sprawled across the others’ legs, arm flopped across Titus’s flank. Titus himself, was staring worriedly up at his little boy, head resting against both Tim’s ankle and Jason’s elbow.

Cassandra blinked and turned her head slowly. Her face was colorless, eyes red and watery and lips dry, but she smiled at Bruce anyway. Bruce took that as an invitation and stepped into the room. He moved over to the bed silently, and instantly found that Dick, Tim and Jason were asleep, Damian only half so. His eyes were open, by only slightly, staring blankly at the screen.

Before Bruce could say anything, Damian glanced up at Cassandra, probably assuming she was looking at him, then followed her gaze over Dick’s shoulder. His facial features were similar to his sister’s, but upon seeing Bruce, he paled considerably more.

“No, Father…” he croaked, twisting in Dick’s loose hold. Bruce grinned, leaning down and moving Dick’s arm away. “You’re not supposed to-”

“It’s okay.” Bruce whispered, reaching out and gently lifting Damian from the bed. He pressed the boy to his chest, sitting down in the chair next to the bed, obviously where Jason was before his current location. Damian rested his head in the crook of his neck, clearly already giving up the fight of keeping Bruce away. His skin was freezing against Bruce’s, but unnaturally sweaty. Bruce ran his hand over Damian’s hair, hand coming back greasy.

Damian shook his head lightly, breath shaky as he clutched Bruce’s shirt. “You shouldn’t be here, Father. If this illness is what we believe it to be, then…”

“Shh. It’s alright, Damian. I’ll fix it.” Bruce cooed, kissing the boy’s head. He glanced up as he noticed movement. Dick rolled over with a sigh, staring at him with bleary, tired eyes. “I’ll fix everything.”


	34. Bluff - Jason & Damian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damian is sick and even more stubborn than normal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sure you were expecting some sort of fluff, and I’m sorry I don’t deliver on that. Spoiler, Jason was totally bluffing.

“Come on, kid.” Jason sighed, poking at the lump of blankets. “You’re making this so much harder than it needs to be.”

“I’m not taking that medicine.” The nasal voice was muffled through the comforter. “You could be trying to kill me, I have no way of knowing.”

“Your dad wouldn’t have left you with me if he thought there was even a _chance_ of that happening.” Jason countered. “And Dickie made me promise not to. I’m a man of my word, in case you were unaware.”

“I don’t want it.” Damian pouted. “It’s probably disgusting.”

“A lot of necessary things in life are disgusting.” Jason nodded, leaning back against the bulk of the blanket bulge, knowing it was going to annoy the child underneath. “Just take it and get it over with.”

“No.” Damian’s answer was instantaneous.

“Take it.” Jason repeated. “ _Please_.”

“No.”

“Take it,” Jason drawled. “Or I won’t let Titus or that fleabag cat back in here.”

The duvet instantly flipped back, half flopping over Jason’s face. He could still see Damian, though, all red eyes, pale skin, runny nose and determined pout. Now Jason saw why the others insisted he needed a babysitter. If this kid got the chance, he’d still try and escape the manor to run across rooftops and punch bad guys in the face.

“You’re bluffing.” Damian accused.

“I’m not.” Jason declared.

Damian paused, watching closely as Jason pushed the blanket off his face. “Yes, you _are_.”

“Take your medicine.” Jason tried, holding up the bottle. “And you won’t have to find out.”

Jason couldn’t help but smirk as the bottle was snatched out of his hand.


	35. Argue - Terry & Bruce

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Terry doesn't need bed rest. Bruce thinks otherwise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of these days I’ll go back and watch Beyond. Or read the comic. Until then, I’m just going to have Terry in the comics universe.

“Don’t tell me.” Terry groaned as Bruce hobbled through the door. “It was careless, and stupid. What was I thinking. I could have killed myself. Never do something like that again.”

Bruce remained silent, sitting in the chair positioned beside Terry’s bed. Dick had put it there, when he had stopped in the night before. Bruce cleared his throat. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I have broken ribs.” Terry replied. “Mostly sore, though. Kind of tired.”

“That’s normal.” Bruce nodded. “We’ll reevaluate in a month. In the meantime, you’re sidelined.”

“Bruce, I can fight through the pain.” Terry argued. “I’ve had worse than this and gone out the _very_ _next_ -”

“Four weeks.” Bruce repeated. “Keep arguing, and I’ll make it six.”

Terry huffed, crossing his arms. “May I ask why the sudden need to make sure I recover fully?”

“Because, you were right.” Bruce settled back in the chair, both hands on his cane. “It was careless and idiotic.”

“I didn’t pull that phrasing out of my ass, you know. Damian said it to me this morning.” Terry snapped. “Now I see where he gets it from. And you two claim you’re not _that_ close.”

“But you did a good job.” Bruce continued, as if Terry hadn’t spoken. “And you deserve some time off. So the month is for both recovery and relaxation. Spend time with your brother.”

Terry blinked cautiously, then sighed. “Fine. _Fine_.” After a second, Terry reached out to the nightstand for the long-since-warmed glass of water. He held it up to his lips and paused. “Bruce…thanks.”

“Hm.” Bruce closed his eyes. “Just don’t do some that stupid again.”

Terry smirked. “Of course not.”


	36. Arranged - Ra's & Damian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damian won't let his grandfather take Drake. Not if he has anything to say about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Until another situation of Tim and Damian team-up to protect each other from Ra’s happens canonically, I will write it practically every day. These stories keep getting shorter, ugh sorry.

“I am surprised, Grandson.” Ra’s stated, watching as Damian held his blade in front of him, keeping the assassins at bay.

Damian remained silent.

“You don’t _like_ him.” Ra’s continued. Damian grit his teeth, telegraphing one of the assassin’s moves. He slashed out with his sword, immediately stepping back into his defensive pose above Tim’s unconscious body. “This would be a solution to your problems.”

“The offer is refused, Grandfather!” Damian shouted, kicking and stabbing at an assassin who came up behind him.

“It is not yours to refuse, Damian.” Ra’s countered.

“Then I shall speak for Drake in his absence of consciousness.” Damian hissed, breathing heavily. Ra’s took note of the blood blossoming right above the neon green boots.

“I’m afraid that’s invalid.” Ra’s sighed. “Guards, collect the detective.”

The assassins closed in. Damian pulled two batarangs from his belt, brandishing them alongside the sword. “Over my dead body.”

Ra’s watched as Damian threw the sharp objects, taking down two assassins. Not killed, he saw, just knocked out. Another fighter lurched, and Damian leaned forward, too distracted to stop the one behind him from holding an arm across his throat. Damian turned his head, staring angrily at Ra’s.

Ra’s stared back impassively. “That can be arranged.” 


	37. Book - Jason & Tim

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim is de-aged and very demanding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn’t quite sure what you meant, so I took Tiny Tim to mean child Tim? Tim’s de-aged or something. Knows his family, but not their night lives. Is a manipulative six-year-old, and Jason hates it. No Dick or Kon really, sorry. =/

Jason jumped as he felt something slide against his thigh. He shifted his arm off his eyes, and glanced down to see Tim – tiny, little six-year-old Tim – staring at him expectantly.

“What?”

“Read this to me.” Tim ordered, tapping the book he had placed in Jason’s lap. As an afterthought, he added, “Please.”

Jason narrowed his eyes before rolling over towards the couch cushions. The book clunked to the floor. “Get Dick to do it.”

“Tried.” Tim pouted, picking up the book. “He’s busy. He said you’ll do it.”

“Well, he lied.” Jason returned. “Get Damian, then.”

“B-but…” Tim’s voice took a sad tone. “I…want you to…”

Jason paused, listening to the boy whimper. Finally, he sighed, twisting his shoulders back around. Tim was holding the book up against his face, so only his misty eyes were visible. When Jason didn’t say anything, Tim stepped closer, holding the novel out.

“Alfred said this story was your favorite.” Tim whispered.

“Well, he’s not wrong.” Jason rolled his eyes, snatching the volume from the boy’s hand. He pondered the cover for a moment, before huffing again and sitting up. Harshly, he patted the cushion next to him. “Hurry up before I change my mind.”

Tim grinned brightly, scrambling up beside him.


	38. Assured - Dick & Tim

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim thinks he's replaceable. Dick promises him otherwise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another one of those that’s just a jumble of words and potentially doesn’t make sense. I don’t know if I ever actually read the issue(s) where Jason popped into Titans’ Tower, so I probably got a few details wrong.

Dick knocked gently on the bedroom door, not waiting for an answer before going in. Tim was lying on the bed, bandages all across his body. Dick frowned as he saw Tim’s stare. It was his least favorite. Distant, calculating, cold.

“Hey buddy.” Dick said softly as he sat on the corner of the mattress. Tim’s eyes slid slowly up to meet Dick’s, but his face didn’t change. “How are you feeling?”

Tim’s eyes moved down Dick’s face and he shrugged. “Better than yesterday.”

Dick nodded. “I’m glad. Alfie kept saying I couldn’t come visit yet. So when he gave the all-clear, I came over here as fast as I could.”

Tim’s lips twitched up for a second, his gaze drifting back down. “Dick…” He whispered after a pause.

Dick leaned forward. “Hm?”

“What happens now?”

Dick’s face scrunched. He didn’t understand the question. “Well, now…we’re going to wait until your injuries heal a little more and then we’ll reevaluate. Start a physical therapy routine and get you back to tip-top-Tim shape in no time.”

“No, that’s…that’s not it.” Tim shook his head. “I mean…Jason’s back now. So. Problem solved.”

Dick blinked. “…Problem?”

“Bruce didn’t have a Robin. So I stepped in. Now his Robin is back.” Tim shrugged. “You all aren’t going to need me anymore.”

Tim kept his gaze downward, but could tell Dick was surprised based on the small _pop!_ he heard as Dick’s lips parted. For a second, the older man didn’t move, and no one did anything. Then Dick shifted closer, and put a hand on Tim’s arm.

“Tim, that’s…I don’t even really know what to say to that.” Dick responded slowly. “That isn’t…how this is going to work. You were never just a _replacement_ for Jason. You are…well, you. Is it good to know he’s alive? Well, yeah. Sure. But…that doesn’t _negate_ you or anything you’ve done.”

Tim still wouldn’t look at him.

“And as far as I’m aware, Jason’s not…well, he’s not coming back into the family. As far as Bruce or anybody knows.” Dick explained before sighing. He couldn’t comprehend the question still. How long has Tim felt like this? “But that doesn’t…I mean, it’s not…You’re…”

Tim only blinked slowly, staring down at the blankets.

“Hey.” Dick reached out, tilting Tim’s chin back towards him. Tim didn’t fight the movement, nor the dejection seeping in his eyes. “We’re all still going to love you, okay?” Dick smiled then. A small one, no teeth. “Me, Bruce, Babs, Cass, Alfie and all your own friends. Jason coming back doesn’t mean we’re going to stop caring about you. Ever.”

“Yeah, but-”

“And frankly, to me, beating up the guy who _may_ have gotten your job after you is a pretty great way to get yourself permanently fired.” Dick drawled. “So, congrats dude. You’ve got a little job security there.”

Tim let himself giggle lightly at the sarcasm. “Dick, this-”

“You are not Jason. You will never _be_ Jason.” Dick said sternly, dropping his hand to Tim’s shoulder. “And Jason can never be _you_.”

Tim’s eyes flickered with a little bit of hope, and it broke Dick’s heart.

“And I don’t want him to be.” Dick’s smile grew a little bit. “I love you, Timbo. And so does everyone else in this stupid house. Self-sacrificing or not, Jason coming back or not, you will _never_ be able to get rid of us, even if you _tried_.”

Tim watched him for a moment, before returning the smile hesitantly. “Can you stay awhile?”

Dick chuckled. “I took the whole day off.”

“No you didn’t.”

“All just to see you.”

“You’re a _terrible_ liar.”

“ _Not_ lying.”

“Yeah-huh.”

Dick shifted, wrapping an arm around Tim’s neck, mashing his other fist gently against the boy’s head. “Nuh- _uh_.”

Tim let a noise of minor annoyance, slumping against Dick’s side. “And to think,” he mused. “Seconds ago, I was afraid I was going to lose this.”

Dick laughed again, wrapping his other arm around Tim’s body. “Not even in your wildest dreams.”


	39. Unfixable - Tim & Damian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim wasn't trapped under the tank the day Damian was killed. It didn't make much of a difference, though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slightly different take on Batman Inc 8. Lotsa blood, and potentially emotions. You did ask for a very bad situation. Apologies and offer of hugs in advance?

“Robin!” Tim felt the shriek leave his throat involuntarily as he was finally able to free himself from underneath the tank. The Heretic was turning away, his mission done. At best, his double was dead, at worst crippled. Either way, it was a victory for him.

Tim felt anger rising from his soul. He should go after him. Divert his path and pounce on that monster. He wouldn’t see it coming. Jump on his back, slit his throat. He may be tough, but even he couldn’t come back from that.

But no. He could see blood spurting from the wound in Damian’s chest. He still had a pulse, he still had a chance. Tim could fix it, of course he could. He just had to get there.

He slid in the pool of blood already around the child, dropping to his knees next to him. Damian’s mouth was open, gulping like a fish out of water. Tim slid his hand under Damian’s head, but was afraid to jostle him further.

“I can fix this,” Tim breathed absently, staring down at the gaping slash in the boy’s body. Briefly, it reminded him of a black hole. “You’ll be okay, Damian.”

Damian’s eyes fluttered behind his mask as he raised his hand up, grasping for something. Without thinking, Tim held his own out, locking their grasps together.

In that moment, everything fell away. Their fights, arguments, attacks, barbs. None of that mattered. Right now, they were family. Brothers. Sometimes colleagues. Right now, Tim was the adult. Damian was the child dying in his arms.

And as everything fell away, the truth became evident. Tim _couldn’t_ fix this. No one could.

“Fa…ther…” Damian croaked, giving a quick squeeze to Tim’s fingers. “Gra…son…”

“I’ll protect them for you, Damian.” Tim promised, shifting his arm around Damian’s head to hold him against his chest. Closer now, Tim could see Damian’s eyes through his lenses. They were fading, closing. “Don’t you worry about a thing.”

Damian’s lips pressed together as he swallowed. He nodded gratefully, letting his eyes close completely. They remained silent then, until Damian’s hand went limp in his.


	40. Water - Tim, Jason & Damian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim would never give up on someone he’s trying to save. Not even if said-victim wanted to stab him in his sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To me, bonding between Tim and Jason is them being sarcastic assholes

Jason stood on the docks, anxiety building with every second that nothing happened. Tim had gone into the water almost a minute ago, and neither him nor Damian – who had somehow stumbled into a gang war and got himself weighted and thrown into Gotham Harbor – had resurfaced. There were a multitude of reasons why. The storm was pretty bad, and the tides were fucked up even worse.

And Tim would never give up on someone he’s trying to save. Not even if said-victim wanted to stab him in his sleep.

Jason looked back. Nightwing, Black Bat and Batman were all fighting…somebody. He couldn’t tell who, not from this distance. One gang’s thugs, or something. Batgirl, Huntress and Oracle were currently on the trail of the other gang’s leader.

Jeez, this whole thing was a mess.

Amongst the splashed of the rain-riddled water, there was suddenly another sound. Like a bubble bursting, followed by a gasp. Jason turned around to see Damian barely treading water in front of him. His head ducked under once and Jason threw himself onto his stomach, reaching out and grabbing the yellow fabric that was disappearing once more under the gray water.

As he yanked Damian up, he threw him behind him on the dock, looking back down in the water. Five seconds, ten, fifteen. Nothing else.

Damian was gagging him behind him, coughing water onto his chest. Jason spun around on him, quickly cutting the ropes binding his wrists. “Robin,” he asked quickly. “Where is Red?”

Damian kept coughing, shaking his head. “Ropes…tangled…I couldn’t…”

Jason didn’t hear anymore. He turned back to the edge of the dock and dove into the water.

The water was thick and Jason moved through it sluggishly. Slowly, water began seeping through the crevices of his helmet. He had a couple seconds before he’d have to hold his breath. If he could just get far enough down…

A steady stream of bubbles passed by his body and he followed the trail. Pretty soon, Jason could see the dim shape of a human, jerking against a rope around their wrists. There was a blade in his hands, but he couldn’t get it turned around to slice at the bonds. As Jason got closer, he could see the movements slowing. Tim was loosing oxygen, fast.

Tim’s movements had stopped completely by the time Jason reached him. In one fluid movement, Jason took the knife from Tim’s hands and sliced the binds, letting them float down to the weight they were attached to. The one that almost took two of his successors. He shook the thought from his head as he twisted his body, planting his feet on the harbor floor. He pushed off, wrapping his arms around Tim’s body as he launched upwards. It propelled him about halfway, and then he started kicking, harder with the added weight of Tim on his shoulder.

After what seemed like hours, Jason broke through the surface. Water washed over, and exploded from, his mask as he tried to look up. He could see the blurry shape of Damian still sitting on the dock, closer to the edge, obviously watching for him. He lifted Tim up, and without missing a beat, Damian caught the other’s arm, pulling him none-too-gently onto the surface.

As Damian laid the other man down flat, Jason hefted himself out of the stormy water.

“Go get the Bats and Wing.” Jason ordered breathlessly, gently pushing Damian down the dock. The storm was still raging, and waves were splashing across the aged wood. Jason had the vision of a wave crashing over them, taking the weakened brat with it in a second. And he didn’t have it in him for another dip in the water. Luckily, for once, Damian listened, staggering away.

Jason tugged his helmet off, letting the cold water trapped inside run down his clothing. He leaned over Tim, staring at him for a second. Suddenly, he pounded his fist against the younger’s chest.

“Don’t think I’m giving you mouth-to-mouth.” Jason huffed, rolling Tim to his side. Water drained out of his lips as Jason smack his back. Tim’s lips twitched, and suddenly he was coughing violently. As his body shook, Jason let him fall onto his back once more as he stripped off his jacket, throwing it across Tim’s chest.

As the coughs subsided, Tim sighed, staring down first at the jacket, then up at Jason. “Thanks,” he panted. “You didn’t have to do that.”

Jason glanced up. Damian had reached Bruce, and was currently being coddled into the black cape. He smirked. “Neither did you.”

Tim snorted. “So what, you going to present me with the Best Estranged Brother of the Year award or something?”

“Gonna try and take that from me too, Red?” Jason rolled his eyes, helping Tim to his feet, switching the jacket to rest across Tim’s shoulders and wrapping the younger’s arm around his neck. “Don’t make me throw you back in the water.”

Tim just laughed.


	41. Forgiven - The Five Robins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Damian reached Limbo, the ones there to greet him were the ghosts of his predecessors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was incredibly sad while writing this, so it turned into a much more sad and reflective piece about Damian. This is most definitely not what you asked for, and I apologize. However, Anon, have you heard of the issue of Batman: The Brave and The Bold where all the Robins meet for a bit of a lighter story? It’s very grand, and I highly suggest it. I wanted to include the likes of Carrie and Helena, but I just couldn’t do it this time. Set after Damian’s death, somehow. They’re all in their Robin garb, sans masks. I don’t know.

“Hey, Dami-“

Damian jumped, pushing at whoever just grabbed his shoulder. He backed away, eyes wide. There were four people in front of them, all in similar states of red, green and yellow.

“Wha…who…” Damian gasped. Something was just happening, something important. But what…?

“You know who.” One towards the back grumbled. His hair was curly. The blonde next to him smiled.

“Stay calm, Damian.” The one who had grabbed his shoulder was beside him again, repeating the motion. Grayson. Damian didn’t understand. It was _Grayson_. And Todd and Brown. And Drake.

“Wh-what’s going on.” Damian asked. “I…I don’t understand. Where are we? How can we all be here? Have you all been hit with magic or…?”

“It’s okay, Damian.” Dick smiled gently. “It’s over now.”

“ _What’s_ over now?”

“ _You_ are.” Jason quipped. Tim and Stephanie both glared at him. “What? Want me to sugarcoat it?”

“I…I don’t…” Damian’s mind was muddled. Nothing was making sense.

“Damian, you died.” Dick said quietly. “But you’re okay now. It’ll all be fine.”

“I died…” Damian muttered. “Did you all-“

“No.” Tim said. “We’re all still alive.”

Damian scrunched up his face, trying to look fierce in front of his predecessors, but it wasn’t working. “That doesn’t-”

“Of all the times we _almost_ died,” Stephanie drawled. “You really think nothing was left behind?”

“This is Limbo. Sort of.” Tim continued. “I think…we’re all here because you wanted us to be.”

“Yeah _right_.” Damian spat.

“He _is_ right.” Dick urged. Damian looked at him. He couldn’t have been older than…fifteen, maybe. “We’re here because somehow, your soul or mind or heart or whatever, asked us to be.”

“Why would I want _any_ of you here?” Damian asked harshly. “I don’t even _like_ most of you.”

“Ask yourself.” Jason said, his tone soft. His face was no longer annoyed and grumpy. “When I died, I saw my mom. Bruce, for a second. Wanted to hug them both one last time.”

“So what would _you_ want?” Tim asked. “From the Robins before you?”

Damian looked at each other them. Dick and his bright smile, Jason and his knowing stare, Tim and his curious look, Stephanie and her encouraging grin. And…he knew.

“To apologize.” He whispered, looking down. “I’m so sorry. For not being as strong as the rest of you. For not living up to the mantle you, Grayson, bestowed on me. I have…failed. Failed the name, and failed all of you.”

The others all looked at each other. “Never,” Dick murmured. “Never in a million years.”

Damian glanced up at him.

“It’s a little rough to admit,” Tim shrugged. “But you did…pretty good. Better than all of us in a lot of ways.”

“And even if you didn’t.” Stephanie sauntered forwards, rubbing her hand against Damian’s head. “Say you messed up a time or two…or like, seven. It was forgiven.”

“It was _all_ forgiven.” Jason chimed in. “Probably before you even made the mistake, if I’m honest. By _all_ of us.”

“Yes, even me.” Tim added with a shy grin. “Before you ask.”

Damian’s gaze moved between each of them as Dick released his shoulder. Quickly, he noticed each of them fading away. Becoming lighter and more transparent. “Thank you.” He croaked. As each of them blinked away – first Tim, then Jason, Stephanie and finally, after a moment, Dick – Damian dropped slowly to his knees. He watched as his tears fell into the white expanse around him, before closing his eyes. “Thank you all so much.”


	42. Vacation - Jason & Dick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The elder two head to a beach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From a meme.

Jason watched as Dick moved around him. The acrobat was humming as he set up the radio, pulled a few drinks from the cooler and towels magically appeared in his arms.

“You…realize I  _live_ on a tropical island, right?” Jason questioned, catching the towel Dick threw at him. The lounge chair creaked underneath him. He didn’t quite know where they were. Dick had jumped him while he and the Outlaws were in Central City. When he finally got the blindfold off, their ship was landing amongst trees. For all Jason knew, they could have been in Hawaii, South Carolina or Costa Rica.

“Only part time.” Dick responded happily, pulling the sunglasses out of his hair and down onto his nose. “Sunscreen?”

“Nah.” Jason waved him off. Dick shrugged and the little tube disappeared, only to be replaced by a book. Jason gratefully took that. “But…I’ve got to say, I’m a little surprised.”

“Surprised?” Dick seemed truly confused as he sat in the sand next to the chair, digging his toes through the warm substance. “Why?”

“Couple things.” Jason started, holding up his hand to count off. “How’d you get the boss man to approve the time off? How’d you get out here without your little shadows following? Or do they even know? And lastly, why the hell did you bring _me_?”

Dick grinned brightly. “Bruce has been pushing for everyone to slow down recently. Take more time to be _normal_. I’m sure you can imagine how well that went over with Tim and Damian.”

Jason snorted. “Those two don’t even know what it means to _be_ normal.”

“I invited them along, but they both claimed they were in the middle of cases.” Dick shrugged again. “It was a lie, I knew. So I gave them both false leads to something else. If I’m right, they both landed in Northern Scotland this morning, and found both their vessels having inexplicable engine trouble.”

“I hear the Isle of Skye is beautiful this time of year.” Jason conceded.

“If they won’t bond with you and me, then they can just bond with each other.” Dick said haughtily. He turned to look up at Jason; the sunglasses barely hid the amusement in his eyes as he slapped Jason’s knee. “And as for your last question, why on earth wouldn’t I want to hang out with you, Little Wing?”

Jason rolled his eyes before looking down at the book. “You are a giant loser.”

“Aw, you love me,” Dick crooned, leaning against Jason’s leg. After a second, the sound of a wave crashing echoed over the beach. Dick glanced up, craning his neck as he stared across the ocean. When he turned back, there was a mischievous smile lighting up his face.

Jason didn’t look away from the book. “… _What?”_

“Last one in the water’s a rotten egg?”

Jason paused, then returned the smile. Dick was already jumping up as Jason snapped the book closed. “Oh, you are _so_ on.”


	43. Through the Fire - Tim & Damian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It turns out, that the only way out was with the help from each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From a meme.

Ra’s was at it again.

“You’re a delusional old man!” Tim shouted, jumping back from the snapping flame. The whole courtyard was on fire, the only door across the floor from where he and Damian stood. Well, he was standing. Damian was kneeling behind him, clutching his side. “We’ve told you a thousand times. _Neither_ of us are going to be your new vessel!”

“Why don’t you just _die_ already,” Damian hissed from behind him. Tim waved his hand at him, hoping Ra’s didn’t hear the barb.

“Only _one_ of you need to agree to the terms, and I will get you _both_ out of there.” Ra’s said calmly from the roof above the door. The whole area was burning, except for that section, go figure.

“Yeah, pass.” Tim said. At the same time, Damian mumbled, “Piss off, you freak.”

Regardless of if the al Ghul heard them over the fire, their answer was clear. Ra’s shrugged. “Unfortunate. But if I can’t have you, then no one can.”

“What, you’re going to leave us here?!” Damian yelled. He coughed immediately after and Tim looked back at him. The smoke was getting thick. They were running out of time.

“I’ll send the Detective my sympathies.” Ra’s turned. “Goodbye boys.”

Ra’s and his followers were all instantly gone. Damian let out a string of curses. Tim instantly turned and crouched in front of the boy. Damian had slouched, and Tim couldn’t tell if it was from the injuries or defeat. “Can you walk?”

Damian glanced up. Tim could tell his teeth were clenched. “Probably.”

“It’d be a huge slap in the face to Ra’s if we both survive.” Tim said, reaching out to Damian’s shoulder.

“It’d be a slap even if only one of us do.” Damian returned. His coughing got worse. “Just go already, Drake. I’ll only slow you down. Tell Father and Grayson I-”

“You can’t just half-ass humiliating someone.” Tim said dryly. Already he was shifting, winding an arm around Damian’s waist, keeping the boy’s injury against his own uniform. “Either we both make it out of here, or neither of us do.”

Damian grunted in pain at the movement, but latched onto Tim’s utility belt anyway. “But your ankle-”

“Just trust me.” Tim cut him off. “Do you trust me, Robin?”

Damian looked up, the green mask glowing through the ash staining his face. “It doesn’t look like you’re giving me much choice.”

Despite the situation, Tim grinned. He adjusted his grip on Damian and, without another word, took off through the fire. The heat licked at them in waves, flames singeing the tips of their hair and capes. Damian only stumbled once, but was able to keep up just fine after, even through a few more fits of coughing.

When they were halfway across the courtyard, an explosion sounded from the corner. As Tim lifted his cape to protect himself and Damian, he felt his foot hit a piece of broken concrete. He lurched forward, slamming his other foot down. Pain shot through his ankle and, to compensate, his knee collapsed.

Without missing a beat, Damian supported Tim’s falling weight, pulling up on the utility belt, and continued pressing forward. He didn’t complain, and even tried to control his coughing. The only sign that he was under any duress was his gritted teeth. As they reached the last few feet their hellish trek, Damian untangled Tim’s arm from his side, and tossed the older boy forward. Tim propelled through the doorway, bouncing and rolling a few feet away from the entrance.

Tim groaned and turned back to the door just in time to see Damian dive through it. Just as the boy landed in a heap next to him, the wall suddenly collapsed in on itself, cutting them off from the burning enclosure. If they been even a few seconds slower, they would have been trapped in those flames, doomed to a fiery demise.

“Made it,” Tim breathed heavily, watching as steam floated off their uniforms. He slumped back to the ground, reaching out to grasp at Damian’s arm. “We made it.”

“Yeah,” Damian panted, leaning his forehead against the cool concrete beneath him. He twisted his arm, grabbing Tim’s wrist and squeezing it with annoyance. “You’re welcome.”


	44. Stars - Bruce & Damian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damian wasn't missing. Of course not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From a meme.

Bruce wouldn’t say he was panicking. Of course not. After raising five children through various stages of their lives, more or less, he felt he had learned when it was appropriate to _really_ panic over an absence or not. Surely this was not one of those instances. And anyway, of his brood, Damian was the one who truly valued the importance of alone time.

 It just so happened that Damian’s ‘alone time’ often consisted of him running off somewhere he believed Bruce couldn’t follow. And more often than not, much to Bruce’s annoyance, the child was normally right.

Not panicking. Nope. Not at all.

He texted Dick. Asked if something had happened with the child lately. It seemed, even after all this time, his youngest really only trusted his eldest. Disheartening, to be sure, but he’d take it. So long as Damian trusted _somebody_ – and that somebody had no ties to his mother. When Dick responded and said no, he immediately asked why. Bruce explained that he merely couldn’t find him. Dick replied within thirty seconds.

“Roof.” Was all he said. “He’s up on the roof. Trust me, B. Kid loves roofs as much as you love caves.”

Sure enough, when Bruce reached the roof entrance closest to Damian’s room, he found Titus asleep outside of it.

After pushing the dog out of the way and climbing the winding staircase, Bruce popped open the hatch. Damian was up there, all right. The little boy was sitting at the roof’s peak, leaning against one of the many chimneys, the tiny black-and-white kitten curled up in his lap.

Bruce definitely didn’t sigh in relief.

Silently, he climbed out of the hatch and made his way up to his son. Damian only glanced at him as he settled in next to him.

“Damian-”

“They’re not as bright.” Damian interjected thoughtfully. The kitten in his lap jumped, opening one eye lazily.

“What aren’t?”

“The stars.” Damian responded quietly. He leaned his head back against the brick, eyes locked onto the sky. “They aren’t as bright as I remember. At Mother’s compounds, I remember them being practically endless, all the time. Here, they’re…” Damian grimaced. “The city blocks them out. I don’t like it.”

“It’s a problem most major cities have.” Bruce nodded slowly. He felt himself frown. This wasn’t something he could fix.

“I’m sorry, Father.” Damian said suddenly. “It’s not Gotham’s fault. I didn’t…What I meant was…”

Damian sighed and hunched his shoulders, looking away from Bruce. “Damian?” Bruce asked softly. “What’s wrong, son?”

“I miss Mother.” Damian whispered. “And I know. I know I shouldn’t. But I do. I didn’t want to tell you, so I came up here.”

Bruce smiled sadly, wrapping his arm tightly around Damian’s shoulders. “You’re allowed to miss her. She’s your mom. _Of course_ you’re going to miss her.”

“It doesn’t…I don’t want to go back to her, if that’s what you’re thinking!” Damian said suddenly, blinking around owlish eyes as he looked up at Bruce.

Bruce chuckled, pressing his nose against Damian’s hair. “I know, Damian.”

Damian’s eyes flitted across Bruce’s face, searching for any sign of deception, any hint of disappointment. Bruce just continued to smile and squeezed his shoulder. After a minute, Damian gave up, slumping against Bruce’s side. A few seconds later, Bruce heard a soft inhale as Damian yawned.

“Do you think…” Damian’s voice was sleepy as Bruce bundled both child and kitten into his arms. “Do you think she misses me too?”

Bruce looked up at the sky himself. Damian was right, there weren’t many stars out tonight. Suddenly, he found himself wanting to change that. He wanted to break into the power station and shut off a few electrical grids. If not for half of Gotham, than at least out here on the Wayne grounds. Go dark for a night or two, watch the sky light up with stars. It wasn’t practical, but for Damian, it would be worth it. For his child’s happiness, it would be worth every second.

Bruce hummed, making a mental note to call Oracle about his plan later. Gently, he kissed Damian’s forehead, laughing when the boy scrunched up his nose. As his laughter died down, he whispered, “She’d be crazy not to.”


	45. Dying - Bruce & Dick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There could be no argument that Batman was truly dead this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From a meme.

“Batman!” Dick shrieked, leaping over the handrail. He stumbled on the landing, but it didn’t stop him from running to Bruce’s side. The junkie was staring at the bloody knife in his hand, glancing up at Nightwing only briefly before taking off. Dick contemplated chasing him, but decided it wasn’t worth it, not with Bruce bleeding out from the gash in his throat.

He collapsed to his knees, splashing in the red puddle that was forming around the gray and black Kevlar. Bruce was gurgling, one hand twitching around the wound. Dick threw his own hands down, one supporting Bruce’s cowled head, the other attempting to cover the cut. It wasn’t working. Blood squirted between his fingertips.

“Stay with me, Bruce.” He breathed, shifting his hand, pressing harder. Bruce made eye contact with him, but behind the lenses, his eyes were unfocused. Behind his own mask, Dick felt tears welling up in his eyes. His voice became strained. “You can’t, buddy. Come on, you gotta stay with me!”

Bruce’s lips twitched. Another choked sound.

“For Jason. Tim. Alfie and Babs. Fight for them.” Dick pleaded, leaning closer to Bruce’s face. His heart was pounding, voice becoming more desperate with every word. “For Damian. Oh, god, please, Bruce. Stay for Damian. Fight and stay for your son!”

Bruce let out a ragged cough, and inhaled deeply.

“He needs you, Bruce.” Dick whispered. Bruce’s hand suddenly dropped to the ground, his head lolled against Dick’s arm. A final puff of air escaped from his lips. Dick let out a sob, dropping his forehead against his mentor’s. “ _I_ need you, Bruce.”


	46. Pain - Dick & Jason

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick takes the stab for Jason. Jason isn't happy about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From a meme.

His enemy was screaming. The guy was angry, _so_ angry. And from personal experience, Jason knew nothing reasonable nor rational was getting through that wall of fury.

Jason held up his hands, showing they were empty. “Okay, guy. Just take a deep breath and-”

“No! No more _words_!” The man interrupted. Suddenly – how did Jason miss it? – he had a knife in his hand. Before Jason could react, could move or block, the man threw it with all his might.

Jason closed his eyes and tightened his muscles, preparing himself for impact. But it never came. After a few seconds, Jason looked back up. Instead of seeing the angry citizen, he was faced with Nightwing’s back.

The villain blinked. “W-who…who the hell’re-”

Faster than lightning, Nightwing unhooked a stick from his back, launching it at the man’s temple. Immediately, the man crumpled to the alley floor. After a pause, Nightwing snorted. “And stay down.”

“What’re you doing here, ‘Wing?” Jason was almost pouting as Dick slowly turned around. Instantly, Jason’s gaze landed on the blade sticking out from between the older man’s ribs. “And what _the hell_ are you doing taking knives for me?!”

Dick smirked. “It’s what brothers do, man. Come on, you haven’t been out of the loop that long have you?”

“We’ve talked about this, dude. You and me, you and Tim. Hell, even the _kid_ told me he had words with you about it.” Jason scowled, examining the wound. Gently, he touched the hilt. “Does it hurt?”

“Like a mother,” Dick admitted.

“Good.” Jason snapped, slapping Dick’s side, next to the blade. Dick hissed and recoiled. “That’s what you get for not listening, Golden Boy.”

Jason turned to walk out of the alley. Dick shrugged, pulling the blade out of his skin himself with a grimace. “At least you didn’t punch me this time.”

“Oh, trust me.” Jason sighed as Dick followed. “I’m still thinking about it.”


	47. Hold My Hand - Jason & Damian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damian gets thrown into the Pit, but Jason won't let him come out of it alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From a meme.

He was too late, he knew that. Ra’s had already thrown the kid in the Pit. There was no turning back.

But that didn’t mean he couldn’t still save him. 

Jason entered the cave, guns blazing. None of the Bats were here, and as far as he knew Talia hadn’t been submerged yet. All these people were guilty anyway, as far as he was concerned.  Just shoot on sight; he’d forgotten that motto in the past couple months. He missed it.

He noticed Ra’s slip out a side entrance, but he didn’t care. Roy and Kori were watching the perimeter, they would get him.

When his guns ran out of bullets, he resorted to what he knew best. Punching. As he hit and kicked his way through the assassins, he noticed the green water bubbling and churning. Kid was almost done cooking.

He was just kicking the last guy in the head when a hair-splitting scream echoed through the chamber. As the final assassin dropped to the ground, Jason spun around, eyes frantically searching the water.

Damian was splashing on the far side, looking for an exit. Jason took off running. If that kid got out before Jason reached him, he’d be gone in a matter of seconds. Luckily, the only potential way out near the child was a steep ledge. Damian was grabbing at the rocks quickly, trying to hoist himself out of the water. But the handholds were crumbling beneath his fingertips. He let out another frustrated shriek.

Jason slid to a halt at the top of the ledge, dropping onto his side. “Damian!” he shouted as he leaned over it. “Damian, stop!”

The child’s voice quieted, but he was still panting hard. He looked up at Jason with a mixture of fear and anger. Slowly, he began to back away from the ledge.

“No, no, stay here, kid! I want to help you, okay? I’m your friend.” Jason explained. He held his hand over the side, offering it to the boy. Damian just stared at it mistrustfully. “It’s me, Jason. Do you remember a Jason, Damian?”

Hesitantly, Damian glanced up, making eye contact. Jason could see the ring of green melting through the blue of his irises. Damian looked back down at Jason’s hand and took another step back.

“I’ll take that as a no. Okay. That’s fine. That’s cool.” Jason leaned further over the edge, stretching his arm. He’d been through this, he knows how it is, waking up in a tub of gross liquid, not remembering anything. Damian didn’t have to trust him, but if he could just get his hands on him… “I just want to take you to your father.”

Damian’s eyes widened and his head shot up. His lips pursed as he tried to form words. “Fa…ther?”

Jason grinned. “Yup, your dad. You want to see your dad, right?”

“Father…” Damian mumbled.

“I can take you to him.” Jason said gently. “I can take you to him, and your brother. Dick, you remember him? Dick Grayson?”

Damian’s eyes opened wider, his face lighting up with a mixture of recognition and hope. He took half a step forward.

“Let me help you.” Jason cooed, extending his arm out as far as he could. “Let me take you home, Damian.”

“Home…” Damian whispered, inching forward. Slowly his hand rose out of the water. “Father?”

The elder nodded. The younger moved closer.

Jason had never held a hand so cold.


	48. Fairytale - Dick & Tim

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a dragon in the cave. An actual _dragon_. Another day on the job, really.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From a meme.

Tim shouldn’t have been surprised when he finally got to the cave. This was Gotham, after all. Anything was possible. De-aging, body swaps, transformations into animals–

Wait. That wasn’t…that wasn’t _Bruce_ , was it?

“This is my life.” Tim deadpanned. He had just noticed Damian and Cass in the center of the dragon’s protective circle when Dick jumped down next to him.

“Pretty cool, huh?” Dick nudged his side. Tim looked at him incredulously.

 _“Cool?”_ Tim questioned. Dick grinned wildly and nodded. “How is this _cool_? If any of those dumb stories about dragons are correct, that thing could kill us.”

Dick waved him off. “Nah, he won’t do that.”

“You can’t be sure of that.” Tim countered. Suddenly, his original thought bounced back into his mind. He looked back towards the dragon. “That’s not Bruce, is it?”

“Of course not.” Dick snorted. They watched as the giant black lizard leaned its face down towards Damian, gently ramming into his chest. Cass gave a small smile as the child leaned up to pet the animal’s snout. “Magic portal, or something. Zatanna and Zatara are on their way now.”

“Unbelievable.” Tim muttered. Suddenly the dragon’s eyes widened and turned its head towards Tim. Instantly, the creature curled into a tighter ball around Damian and Cass, revealing large, sharp teeth. Tim took a step back. “Um…what did I do?”

“The one thing we have found out about the creature,” a voice to Tim’s left sounded. He glanced briefly over to see Bruce standing there, looking ridiculously exasperated. “Is that it believes Cassandra and Damian are royalty, and need to be protected at all costs.”

“Wonderful.” Tim sighed. The dragon growled, smoke rising from its nostrils.

“And apparently,” Bruce explained, watching the two former assassins attempt to calm the animal. “It has deemed you as a threat to their well-being.”

“Even better.” Tim smiled grimly.

Dick let out a laugh. “This is so _awesome_.”

“Awesome.” Tim repeated. Bruce just rolled his eyes. The dragon huffed, letting out a small puff of fire. “Yeah, awesome was the word I was thinking too.”


	49. In the Storm - Tim, Jason & Cass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cass and the boys are just trying to walk home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From a meme.

“This is miserable.” Jason whined.

“You’ve said.” Tim sighed. “At least seven times.”

Lightning flashed overhead, followed almost immediately by thunder. The red helmet glanced upwards and water ran down its sides. “How many more miles?”

“Nine.” Cass muttered.

“Goddammit.” Jason snapped. “And you two don’t have any fancy-ass umbrellas in those dumb utility belts of yours?!”

“Don’t you start,” Tim hissed, pushing his wet hair away from his mask. “ _You’re_ the one who didn’t check to make sure the damn car had enough gas!”

“And who short-circuited the _entire communicator network_ , hm?” Jason retorted. Tim stuck his tongue in his cheek for a moment, before opening his mouth to respond. He didn’t get the chance, though, as Cassandra stepped between them.

“Family,” She said gently but firmly, grabbing first Jason’s hand, then Tim’s. “Family is _nice_.”

Jason and Tim both rolled their eyes, looking opposite directions. Cassandra pursed her lips, squeezing their hands.

“Jesus, girl!” Jason muttered, trying to pull away.

“Ow, Cass!” Tim scolded.

“Reds,” she said sternly. “Apologize.”

Both boys started to turn away again, but Cassandra yanked their arms. Tim and Jason looked at each other over Cassandra’s head and sighed.

“I’m sorry I pointed out how much you suck,” Jason murmured. Cassandra turned expectantly to Tim.

“And I’m sorry I pointed out that this is all your fault.” Tim retorted. They weren’t sincere, and all three of them knew it, but Cassandra smiled anyway. In the next flash of lightning, the smile almost looked mischievous.

“Good boys.” Cassandra shook her own mop of wet hair out of her face and tugged gently on the Tim and Jason’s hands. “Let’s go home.”


	50. Drowning - Tim & Damian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim puts Damian in the Pit, and reminds Ra's of the rules of their bargain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From a meme.

Tim stared blankly at the bubbling green lake in front of them as Ra’s put a hand on his shoulder.

“You made the right choice.” Ra’s whispered. Tim glanced angrily up at him.

“Don’t forget. I didn’t do this for  _you_.” Tim snapped. “Upon resurfacing, Damian will be in my care until he can be properly returned to Bruce.”

“Of course.”

“And neither you nor any of your assassins will touch him, let alone get _near_ him without my supervision or permission.” Tim’s tone was harsh and commanding.

Ra’s frowned, hand slipping away from Tim’s person as he repeated, “Of course.”

Before any more rules could be laid down, the two heard a splash. They both looked down to see Damian flailing, gasping frantically for breath. Tim took a step forward, but Ra’s grabbed his wrist, silently shaking his head. Tim conceded. Ra’s knew more about the Lazarus Pits than any of the Bats combined, even Jason. If the man said he couldn’t get near Damian yet, as much as he didn’t want to, Tim had to listen.

Damian flailed in spurts, often completely disappearing back under the water. Tim held his own breath until the child would reappear, alternating between panting heavily and screaming. But Tim couldn’t say the magic water wasn’t doing its job. Every time Damian bobbed back up, even from his faraway vantage point, Tim could see the scars disappearing from his skin, one by one.

This continued for about ten minutes, and by that point, Tim couldn’t take much more. Damian’s screams had moved from manic to terrified. He needed help, but none of the surrounding guards seemed willing to give it.

“He can’t drown, can he?” Tim asked quietly.

“I doubt it.”

“You _doubt_?” Tim hissed, yanking his arm away from Ra’s grip. “You don’t _know_?”

The splashing suddenly ceased. Tim looked back down to see only Damian’s face, cocked back and aimed towards the ceiling, mouth open wide. Tim gritted his teeth and, before Ra’s could stop him, jumped into the water.

He could hear the sizzle of the water healing wounds long since scarred as he swam. Damian saw him coming, and his eyes widened as he tried to swim backwards. He slipped under the liquid again, but Tim was able to grab his arm before he disappeared completely.

By the time Tim got to the edge of the pool, Damian was too exhausted to fight him anymore, and slumped against his chest. Carefully, Tim raised them out of the water and turned back to Ra’s and their audience. He glared at each one of them individually, giving a silent warning to each as he adjusted his grip on Damian’s body, before turning and walking out of the cave.


	51. Seeing Red - Jason & Tim

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You wake up to find yourself in the worst trouble of your life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my first and only foray into second-person writing, haha.
> 
> From a meme.

You wake up slowly, and find yourself tied to a pole. You grunt as you pull against the restraints, and that must have been their signal. The two men walked up, then – one in a leather jacket with a red helmet, guns on his hips. The other, shorter, in a black eye mask and predominantly red armored costume. 

“So, what do we have here, Red Robin?” The gun-toting man asks leisurely.

“Just a nobody, Red Hood.” Red Robin answers with a polite tone. There was a vicious smile on his face as he planted his hands on his hips.

“You put an awful lot of work into beating up a nobody, kiddo.” The Hood responds, gently unhooking the gun holsters. You push harder against the ropes holding you, swallowing the lump in your throat.

“Yeah, well,” Red Robin’s smile turns angry. “According to intel from Robin, this nobody here thought it was a good idea to try to kill Nightwing.”

“Kill ‘Wing, eh?” Hood cocks his head to the side, earnestly unhooking the other gun. “How bad is he?”

“Robin stated they were just starting a third blood transfusion.”

“Oh, goody.” Hood sneers. You can’t see his face, but by the sudden shift in his tone, and the tightening grip on his weapons, you can tell he’s angry. As the Hood walks closer to you, you barely notice Red Robin pulling out some sharp weapon of his own. The red helmet is suddenly in your face, and you can barely make out the shape of narrowed, furious eyes through the tinted plastic. You hear the safety being triggered off on the gun, and gasp as it’s pressed painfully into your side. His voice is dark as he whispers. “You and I are going to have fun tonight, buddy.”


	52. Spiral - Dick & Tim

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The man's style was familiar, and Tim didn't know who it was until he knocked him out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From a meme.

The guy was _fast_. If it were any other situation, Tim would have paused to admire his enemy’s skill. But considering this guy just wouldn’t let up, even for a second, Tim had to forgo any sort of pleasantries. 

“I- don’t- want- to- fight- you-!” Tim ground out, blocking the masked man’s attacks. He could feel himself losing ground. He couldn’t be on the defensive anymore. He rammed his staff forward, and the man flipped back. “I just want to talk to SPYRAL’s leader, okay? I know that’s not you, man. And I- whoa!” He ducked as the man pulled a blade and threw it. “And I don’t want to hurt you!”

The man hesitated, and Tim wished he could just see this guy’s face, get any sort of read on his emotions. Suddenly, a woman’s voice echoed through the sound system. “Agent…the bomb!”

Bomb? What bomb?

The masked man looked up at Tim’s face and suddenly barreled towards him. Before he could react, the man grabbed him around his waist and jumped from the platform. Once on the ground, the man threw Tim onto his back, and covered his body with his own. Tim opened his mouth to ask, when a bright light took over the cavern, followed by a violent rumbling and falling debris.

So much movement had shaken the man’s mask loose, and it fell off his face with a clank. Tim’s eyes widened as he locked gaze with his brother. His oldest brother, the one that was supposed to be dead, supposed to have-

“Dick…?” He whispered. Dick looked older, like he’d aged twenty years even though it’d only been three. His eyes were pained, but they lit up regardless as an apologetic smile filtered across his face.

“I’m sorry, Tim.” Dick’s voice was just as soft as he ran a hand over Tim’s hair. “I don’t want to hurt you either.”

Tim felt a pinch on his neck, and everything went black.


	53. Can You Hear Me? - Tim & Cass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She couldn't tell if she got there in time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From a meme.

Cassandra was still running towards him when she saw Red Robin barely pull himself out of the water. As soon as his torso was clear of the liquid, he had collapsed to the sand. 

Her heart pounded as she collapsed next to him, rolling him onto his back. She leaned down, putting her ear against his mouth. No puffs of air hit her skin. She put her fingers against his throat. Nothing.

Immediately, she started CPR, at the same time, hitting the distress signal she knew was hidden in Tim’s belt. Her heart continued to hammer in her chest. She could do it, she could _save_ him-

As she leaned down to give him mouth to mouth, his lips sputtered, water dribbling down his chin as he coughed. As he calmed down, she noticed he hadn’t opened his eyes yet.

“Tim?” she whispered, placing her hand gently on his chest. “Can you hear me?”

Tim continued to take deep, gulping breaths, but slowly opened his eyes. As they focused up on Cassandra, a relieved smile spread across his face. He gripped her hand tightly, squeezing it gratefully. “Loud and clear, Cass. Loud and clear.”


	54. No Way Out - Jason & Damian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason panics. Damian doesn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From a meme.

Jason turned the corner and punched a wall. They had been stuck in this godforsaken maze for _hours_. He wouldn’t have been surprised if it was the next day by now.

 “We need to conserve our strength, Hood.” Damian said as he came around the turn. Jason looked guiltily down at the kid. He was exhausted and pale, probably starving too. Not only that, but Damian was only here because Jason had asked him to pick something up for Dick. The warehouses were the closest, easy meeting point. How were either of them supposed to know the Joker had set up a death maze there?

“Yeah, yeah. I know.” Jason sighed, running a hand down his face. He had long since ditched the helmet. Thank goodness for his double mask routine.

“Panicking is exactly what the Joker wants us to do.” Damian reminded, pulling his cape down across his shoulders.

“What, think I don’t know that?” Jason mumbled, leaning back and sliding down the wall. For a moment he let the hopelessness of the situation take over. There was no one to actually fight, no food to sustain themselves and no way to contact any of the other Bats. The Joker was going to kill him _again_. And this time, he was taking the kid with him. He leaned his head back, closing his eyes. “I just…there’s no way _out_.”

Damian remained silent, looking up and down the lane, letting the sound of his rumbling stomach echo through the maze. He noticed Jason grimace at the sound.

“This _is_ a way out,” He said suddenly, reaching down and grabbing Jason’s hand. Before Jason could react, he pulled the man back to his feet, dragging him down the row with determination. “There’s _always_ a way out.”


	55. Sacrifice - Dick, Tim & Damian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Dick's two youngest brothers sacrifice themselves for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From a meme. If there was ever an idea I wanted to expand on, it was this one.

Dick couldn’t believe what he was hearing, couldn’t believe what he was _seeing_. He felt the blade push against his neck. Another guard pulled on the ropes restraining his arms.

“You two realize I only need  _one_ vessel, correct?” Ra’s asked, sounding almost surprised. Damian and Tim both nodded.

“Look at it this way, Grandfather.” Damian shrugged, avoiding eye contact with Dick. “Drake and I are giving you options.”

“And besides. I imagine a soul transfer is quite a process.” Tim agreed. Dick leaned forward on his knees, trying to get one of his little brothers’ attention. “Whomever you don’t pick as a vessel will be your caretaker as you recover, then your right hand man afterwards. That’s what you’ve always wanted anyway, right?”

Ra’s hummed as he considered the offer. “You two are paying an awful lot, for so very little in return.”

Tim finally looked down at Dick with a warm smile. “Excuse us if we don’t completely agree with you, Ra’s.”

Dick felt his heart start to rapidly beat. “No. Stop, you two, you don’t have to-”

Tim cut him off. “So, do we have a deal?”

“Nightwing’s life for both of yours?” Ra’s asked.

“Nightwing is released and you never attack or harm him again.” Damian clarified, crossing his arms. “ _Ever_.”

Ra’s smiled and opened his arms widely. Tim gently put his hand on Damian’s back, and the two slowly moved forward. Dick felt his bonds start to loosen.

“We have a deal.”


	56. Tears - Barbara & Jason

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick died, and Jason isn't coping well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From a meme.

Barbara found him in the bar, and suddenly, she realized why Tim asked her to fetch him. 

It was late, and this dive was in a bad part of Gotham, so Jason was the only patron. He currently had an empty mug clutched in his hand, but he was standing, glaring angrily at the cowering bartender. There was proof littered across the ground of a recent rampage. Shattered glasses, broken chairs, flipped tables. But Barbara zeroed in on the worse evidence: Jason’s bloody hands.

“Please, man…” The bartender dared to whisper.

“No, you don’t get it.” Jason shouted, words horrendously slurred. He threw his arms against the bar, swiping off all the glasses and buckets of peanuts. “No one _fucking_ gets it!”

Barbara stepped in from the door. She kept her voice quiet. “Jason.”

Jason turned slowly towards her, and Barbara’s heart broke. There were tears cascading down his face, mixing with blood and dirt. His fingers twitched and the mug dropped from his grip. Barbara had never seen Jason look this broken, not since he paraded around in the pixie boots.

“My brother.” Jason whispered, collapsing to his knees. Barbara instantly walked forward, repeating the motion. She reached forward, running her fingers across his jacket sleeves. “He was my brother, Babs.”

Barbara didn’t have to ask who he was talking about. “I know, Jaybird.”

Jason started slowly shaking his head. “First me, then…oh _Jesus_ , then _Damian_. And now Di…?”

Barbara shifted, gently taking Jason’s face in her hands, forcing him to look up at her. His lip quivered helplessly as tears continued to drip from his chin.

“I…I can’t, Babs.” He sobbed. “Babs, I can’t do this anymore.”

She pulled him against her, and he instantly buried his face against her neck. She wrapped one arm around his shoulders, the other hand carding through his hair. She closed her eyes, swallowing the lump growing in her throat. “None of us can.”


	57. Blood - Jason & Damian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damian lies. Jason sees right through it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From a meme.

“ _Shit_ , kid.” Jason whistled as Damian landed on the rooftop. “What happened to you?”

Damian glanced only briefly at the splashes of blood across his cape. “It’s not mine.” 

“You sure about that?” Jason poked him in the chest, taking note of how saturated the Robin tunic was. He always hated that uniform choice. Blood mixes with its natural color a little too well. He ran his finger up to Damian’s shoulder, then stuck it in his mouth. “Tastes like yours.”

Damian’s face scrunched up in disgust. “You’re a freak.”

“No, Golden Boy is a freak.” Jason corrected. “I’m just weird.”

Damian rolled his eyes and went to move past Jason. “Whatever.”

“Hey,” Jason gripped his arm, pulling him back. “You didn’t answer my question. What happened?”

Damian looked up at him, seemingly ready to challenge him again. Then his gaze dropped to the red bat on Jason’s chest. “I wasn’t fast enough.”

“What does that mean?”

Silently, Damian used his free hand to shift his belt. A large gash in the Robin tunic was revealed, but even more concerning was the subtle color of an exposed intestine that could be seen through it.

“I…the belt is putting enough pressure on it.” Damian said quietly after Jason swore. “It should hold until I return to the cave.”

“Yeah, it should.” Jason snapped, scooping Damian up in his arms, moving quickly to the edge of the roof. “Because that’s where we’re going _right now_.”


	58. Insanity - Barbara & Tim

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim hated Damian - but his death might have been the straw that broke the camel's back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From a meme.

They say insanity is when a person does the same thing over and over and over, regardless of the result. If that’s the case, then they all had gone insane years ago. 

Barbara watched from the study as Tim opened the side door and Titus bounded out. She watched as Titus stuck close to Tim’s side, nose glued to the ground. She watched as they set off to the path through the trees.

Even if she didn’t know the family well, she would have known that path by heart. Tim took it three times a day. Four, if the vigilante lifestyle was getting to him. Out of the manor, through the wall of trees, quick stop at the graveyard, cut through the meadow, then backtrack, ending in Damian’s room.

The child’s death had hit Tim hard, and no one but Barbara seemed to notice. Perhaps they were all too consumed in their own grief. But that made sense. Bruce lost a son. Dick lost a…well, Barbara wanted to say brother, but that line was a little blurred. Jason had to watch another child take his mantle, and another child die because of it.

But Tim hated the child, and the feeling was mutual from Damian. So what did he lose? Barbara had yet to figure it out.

Forty-five minutes later, Tim and Titus appeared in the yard. Titus looked dejected – another walk, another failure in finding his boy. Barbara stood on the deck, waiting for them to come back to the house. When they did, she gently took Tim’s hand as he passed her. “This…it’s not going to bring him back, you know.”

Tim looked away from her, as if that would make her words untrue. His voice was quiet when he said, “Anything’s possible, Babs.”


	59. Memory - Damian & Talia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There were good times, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From a meme.

Damian grinned tiredly as he spun the chair back and forth. He loved falling asleep at the computer banks. Even though he’d never mention it to Bruce, the set-up was very similar to how Talia used to have it, at the compound he stayed at most often as a baby. 

While his mother wasn’t very affectionate, Damian knew she loved him. She would be subtle about it, try to show it when no one – including him – was paying attention. But he still knew. And even though the room with all the computer monitors was technically off-limits, Damian found himself there often, especially when Talia was off traveling. He hated when his mother went traveling.

She found him in that room more than once, commonly dozing as the screens showed hacked security feeds. After calling for a guard to come retrieve him and take him to bed, she would crouch next to the chair he was curled up in, humming a tune from her own childhood as she gently ran fingers through his hair. When one of her underlings would appear to take him, she would press a long kiss to his forehead as she stood.

He missed that. Sometimes, he even thought he missed his mother.

“Come on, bud.” Damian twitched slightly as a hand dropped onto his shoulder. He looked up to see Dick smiling down at him, looking just as exhausted as he felt. “Time for bed.”

“Sure.”

Dick glanced at the screens as Damian leaned towards the keyboard. “What’re you working on?”

The feed to Talia’s compound shut off. Damian stood, letting Dick pull him against his side. “Just checking in on someone.”


	60. Cookies - Jason & Alfred

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason's sick. Well, that just won't do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From a meme.

There was a knock on the door, and Jason groaned. “For the last time, Roy.” He sniffed loudly, pulling the covers over his head. “I don’t want that _disgusting_ home remedy you made.”

He heard the soft click of the door opening anyway and sighed, getting ready to shoo his friend away again for the umpteenth time.

“Don’t you worry, young sir,” Jason jumped, throwing the blanket off his face. Alfred stood there, removing his hat. “I gave Master Harper some advice on different ingredients to put in the recipe. Miss Kori is supervising him now.”

Jason slumped back into the pillow with a smile. “What’re you doing here, Alfie?”

Alfred approached the bed, placing his hat and bag on the ground while shrugging off his coat. “Despite what you believe, you are still part of that family. And my job has always been, and forever will be, to take care of said family.”

Jason chuckled as Alfred ran a hand over his hair. “Goldie told you I was sick, huh?”

“Timothy, actually.” Alfred corrected, leaning down and reaching into his bag. His hand returned with a thermometer. “Said, and I quote, ‘if his guns won’t kill people, then he can easily just drown them with the snot coming out of his nose.’”

“Eloquent,” Jason snorted, taking the thermometer into his mouth without complaint.

“And we all know Timothy is nothing but.” Alfred felt Jason’s forehead again, frowning at the heat it was emitting. His hand disappeared into the bag again, coming back with a cool, damp cloth that he placed across Jason’s forehead. “But even that was better than what Master Damian said.”

“Oh?” Jason quirked an eyebrow as the thermometer beeped. Alfred took it and read the information, tsking quietly. “And what did that little shit – sorry – _precious baby_ say?”

“Even I don’t dare repeat it.” Alfred grinned. “Let’s just say Master Bruce didn’t appreciate the sentiment either, and the boy will be without his favorite katanas for the next two or so weeks.”

“Ha ha, harsh.” Jason mumbled. “So, what’s the verdict, doc?”

“You have a slight fever, but overall it seems to be just a cold.” Alfred explained, pulling a paper bag out of the larger black one. “Most likely because you won’t let yourself rest up enough between cases. Even under my influence, all you boys seem to have developed that habit.”

“Sorry, Al,” Jason grinned unapologetically. Alfred rolled his eyes, placing the paper bag on Jason’s nightstand. Jason sat up and reached for it. “What, no lollipop for a good checkup, Doctor Pennyworth? Or is this my official prescription?”

Alfred hummed as he stood back up. “Consider it both. And a pallet cleanser for after Master Harper’s next attempt at home medication.”

Jason took up the bag, unrolling the top. Inside were at least two dozen of Alfed’s most popular chocolate chip cookies. He stared in surprise for a minute before looking up at the old man. “You’re the best, Alfred.”

Alfred smirked. “Good to see your illness hasn’t clouded your common knowledge, sir.”


	61. Under the Rain - Bruce & Damian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maybe Damian truly was a drowned kitten. Who knew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From a meme.

Bruce couldn’t help but think: _If Dick were here, he’d bee cooing at him by now._

The rain continued to beat down on them, slashing sideways and cutting against their bodies. Even Damian’s hood wasn’t helping to keep the boy dry. But they were on a stakeout, and tonight was the night of the big shipment. They couldn’t leave, as much as either of them wanted to.

And Damian was trying so hard to look unbothered by the miserable weather. He faced it head on, letting the water beat against his exposed face, ignoring the soaked hair plastered to his forehead and the shivering of his arms. His eyes were narrowed and lips pursed in determination.

Bruce didn’t try to stop the small grin on his face. His son looked like a drowned kitten.

He opened his cape, wrapping both it and his arm around Damian’s shoulders and pulling him to his side. Damian’s eyes shifted instantly from narrowed suspicion to owlish surprise as he looked up at his father.

Bruce expected him to pull away. To scoff and say he didn’t need help, he could take care of himself, or something along those lines. What he didn’t expect was for Damian’s eyes to soften as he leaned his head against Bruce’s armored shoulder, pulling the large black cape tighter around both of them.

Yeah, Dick would be cooing by now, and then some.


	62. Precious Treasure - Alfred & Damian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No one else could do this. It had to be him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From a meme.

Alfred sensed Bruce’s presence behind him, but he didn’t stop working. Damian needed him. Alfred was the only one who could do this.

“Alfred, it can wait.” Bruce said quietly, putting a hand on the man’s shoulder. “He won’t…” Bruce’s voice cracked. “Damian won’t be going anywhere.”

“Go tend to your other boys, Bruce.” Alfred shook him off. “Remember you are not the only one who lost a partner today.”

He could feel Bruce’s hesitation, but ignored it, opting instead to continue closing the death wound in the child’s chest. As he heard Bruce’s retreating steps, he paused in his stitching, glancing up at the child’s face. The mask had long since been removed, his eyelids pushed down. The child didn’t look like he was sleeping. He looked beat up and broken, and no matter what Alfred did, he couldn’t fix his little boy.

He felt tears roll down his face as he cupped Damian’s cheek. It’d only been a few hours, barely enough time for rigor mortis to set it, but already his skin was so _cold_. He pulled his hand back, throwing it across his mouth to stifle the sob that tried to escape.

After a few minutes, he was able to collect himself. He finished stitching the gaping hole, then quickly dressed Damian in his best suit. The coffin had already been built, and was waiting upstairs. Gently, he picked the child up, cradling him carefully against his chest.

It was a slow, agonizing trek to the small room where the casket was. As he walked through the manor hallway, he saw Richard peek his head out of a room, fresh tears still rolling down his face. A few rooms down, Tim did the same, looking absolutely wrecked. Bruce stood behind him, hand on his shoulder. Stoic as always.

He heard them follow behind, a makeshift funeral procession for the boy-king. Once at the coffin, he slowly, carefully, _painstakingly_ laid Damian down, positioning his hands across his torso. And then he stood there, staring down at the boy, eyes filling with tears he refused to let himself shed.

“Alfie,” It was Dick this time, who clung to his arm. His voice was devastated. “You can take a break now. You’ve done enough. We’ll take it from here.”

Alfred swallowed the lump in his throat. “We are burying him tomorrow, correct? Then I will keep watch over him until then.”

Dick’s fingers retreated. “Oh, Alfred-”

“This is my boy,” Alfred said loudly, reaching down to stroke his fingers across Damian’s face once more. He couldn’t keep his resolve, though, as his voice wavered. “This is _my_ boy and he must be protected.”


	63. Dark - Damian & Titus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damian has nightmares. Titus will fix them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From a meme.

Titus twitched his ear when he heard Damian gasp. He opened one eye and looked up. His boy was still on his bed, still asleep, but he was sweating, and his face was pinched. 

“Fa…Father…no… _Grayson_!” Damian jerked, hand grasping the mattress. Titus jumped up, moving quickly to his boy’s side. Damian continued to tremble, small tears mixing with the beads of sweat running down his face.

Titus huffed. This just wouldn’t do.

He pushed his nose against Damian’s fist, hoping that would wake him. When it didn’t, he flopped his front paws on the bed, looming over Damian’s head. The little boy continued to pant and cry, and that’s when Titus noticed the blood blossoming on Damian’s palm from his own nails.

He hopped on the bed completely, legs straddling Damian’s torso. Frantically, he licked at the boy’s face, leaving light nips against his nose and cheek. He whined softly, even pawing at Damian’s chest. Anything to just wake him up and-

Finally, Damian’s eyes shot open with a jolt. He continued to breath heavily as he took in his surroundings, noticing the dog standing above him. “Oh, Titus…” He whispered, reaching up and wrapping his arms tightly around Titus’s neck. Titus collapsed his legs, plopping his weight down on Damian’s quivering body. “It…it was awful…”

He felt Damian start to sob, and gently licked at the tears before they could fall.


	64. Memory - Tim

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim observes his family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From a meme.

Tim remembered when it was just the four of them. Him, Bruce, Dick and Alfred. Things were good back then. Not always awesome, or perfect or wonderful, but they were good, and Tim wouldn’t trade any of it for the world. 

He sighed as he turned the chair and leaned his face on his hand, watching as Jason and Steph tossed a green boot back and forth, Damian running between them, shouting every threat he knew. Cass and Dick kept glancing at them with fond smiles, as they practiced a new blocking method on the training mats. Barbara and Bruce ignored everyone, hunched over a worktable with Luke Fox. Alfred glided between all of them, handing out water and food while picking up trash and discarded weaponry.

Tim felt himself smiling. Yeah, the old times were good, and Tim would always look back at them fondly. But nothing could ever beat the family he had now. Not one thing.


	65. Illusion - Steph & Damian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As if he'd really _want_ to talk to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From a meme.

“You really did it this time,” Steph whistled, leaning back in the chair. Damian wanted to cross his arms, but the splint that ran from his bicep to wrist prevented it. That and the pain medication Alfred forced him to take every four hours.

“Shut up.”

“I’m just _saying_. Would it kill you to listen?” The woman smiled. “Dick doesn’t order you around for his health, you know. He tells you to do – or _not_ do – things because he cares about you.”

“Take your own advice and listen to Gordon once in a while, then.” Damian countered, rolling his eyes as he leaned back against the pillow.

“Well, that’s different. See, I sort of know what I’m doing, unlike _you_.” Steph teased, poking Damian in the head. “We just don’t want you to get hurt, kiddo.”

“I can take care of myself, thank you very much.” Damian pouted, turning away from her.

“Of course,” Steph’s voice was quiet and fond. “Now be a good boy and eat your waffles, okay? Rebuild your strength.”

“Waffles? Brown, what’re you-” Damian turned back to find the chair empty, but Alfred walking in the door.

“Waffles? Unfortunately, sir, pancakes were on the menu today. I can make you waffles tomorrow, if that’s what you wish.” Alfred said dully, placing the plate on the nightstand.

“Where is Brown?”

Alfred blinked. “Miss Stephanie? Last I heard she was in Europe, working a case with Miss Cassandra. Why, would you like me to call her?”

“Of course not.” Damian muttered, reaching for the plate. He felt his cheeks heat up slightly. “As if I’d want to talk to _her_.”


	66. Expectations/Mischief Managed - Jason, Damian & Terry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damian tries to be fierce. Jason's just a jerk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From a meme.

“You work for _my father_ now-” Damian said sternly.

“Oh man, really? Didn’t know that.” Terry cut him off, crossing his arms, staring at Damian with a bored expression. Jason smirked from behind him.

Damian turned and stared at him. “You should not be interacting with the likes of that man.” He pointed at Jason. “Hell, you shouldn’t even know _who he is_.”

Jason snorted, tapping his cane against the ground. “Don’t listen to him, McGinnis. Him and I go way back. We’re practically _besties_.”

Terry raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

Damian glowered. “Todd, we are _not_.”

“He’s just jealous.” Jason’s smirk had turned into a full grin now.

“You’re supposed to be a _hero_. You’re supposed to be _Batman_ ,” Damian turned his attention back to Terry. “Batman doesn’t _hang out_ with criminals and lowlifes like him.”

“Says who?” Terry countered.

“Says history.” Damian returned. “Says the legend Batman has spread throughout Gotham. You’re supposed to be the best one out there, McGinnis. The best of all of us who have ever worn that mantle. You can’t be that with what you’re doing now.”

Terry looked down, letting Damian’s words sink in. The older man probably had a point. He should probably hold himself to a higher-

“Did you know Damian only exists because Bruce had sex with the leader of an international terrorist ring?” Jason asked gleefully. Terry’s gaze shot back up.

_“What?”_

Damian’s face scrunched in fury. He threw his hands in the air, as he turned towards the exit. “I give up. I _absolutely_ give up.” He said, barely audible over Jason’s cackling. Now Terry was curious, and was quickly trotting after him. “Father! Grayson! They’re _your_ pets, come get them before I kill them myself!”


	67. Flight - Cass & Damian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He wouldn't talk to Tim, or anyone else. But she knew he would talk to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt from tumblr, for 1000 followers
> 
> Hmmm I didn’t do all the girls, I just did Cass, because I am obsessed with the idea of Cass being number 1 big sibling to Damian in his times of need. I really didn’t follow your prompt at all, oops, haha. This fic is weird and probably a bit jumpy in its thought-process, but I’m not super sorry about it. Damian’s guilt is coming from his belief that he might have been able to save Dick, was he alive at the time.

He was surprised to see her, for a multitude of reasons.

For one, she was supposed to be across the world. Working a mission with Brown that had already spanned over a year, had the capacity to span another three or four.

For two, he was on the roof. And no one knew he was up here.

At least, he _thought_.

Cassandra grinned when she peeked over the edge of the roof. “Found you.”

She swung over the ledge, crawled up the slope and plopped down next to him. She stared at him a moment before she mimicked his gesture, curling her knees to her chest and locking them there with crossed arms, and sighed in accomplishment. “Tim is-”

“Looking for me, I know.” Damian exhaled, staring up at the stars. “One day he’ll get the hint that I don’t want to _talk_ to him.”

In his periphery, he saw Cass tilt her head. “Why not?”

“All he wants to do is talk about _Grayson_.” Damian looked away, down at the roof tiles beneath his bare feet. He squeezed his calves tighter, pressed his cheek against his knees. “See how I’m _coping_.”

“Everyone is worried.” Cass tried, and Damian felt her bump their shoulders. “Want to make sure you’re okay.”

“Well. I’m _not_.” Damian snapped. “And they should just leave it at that.”

“Hm.” Cass mumbled. “They are worried.” She repeated. “And after the grief, it is a new emotion. They… _we_ …are not used to it.”

“Yeah.” Damian huffed, bitterly. Slowly, he turned his head, kept it firmly against his knee as he looked up at her. “ _That’s_ annoying, too.”

Cass smiled, copied his motion once again, leaning her face against the arms across her knees. “They missed you.”

“They shouldn’t have.” Damian whispered, and Cass heard the guilt in his tone. “I wasn’t worth _missing_.”

“You were. You _are_.” She promised. “We all love you. And we…will. _Forever_.”

Damian watched her, eyes wide and open. Guilty and sad. Apologetic and tired. When he inhaled, it was shaky. And Cass made no mention of the tear that dropped from his eye as he said:

“I miss Grayson.”

And that was a pain Cassandra knew no one was going to be able to take from him. Not with any sort of words or comfort. And that’s why he was up here, because that’s what Tim was trying to do. Tim and Bruce and even Jason. They knew this child’s own loss, the hole he returned to when he was resurrected. They were going to try to fix it.

But Damian knew they couldn’t, so why let them _try_. Why let them attempt and really, just make it worse for all of them.

“I know.” She returned. She smiled again, softer, and wrapped an arm around his shoulders and pulled him into her side. “I know you do.”

Damian allowed the contact, burying his face against his shoulder as Cass stroked his hair. Cass allowed the silence, staring pointedly up at the stars. Their older brother was up there, somewhere, and deserved to be scolded for this. For _missing_ this.

For not being here when Damian came back.

“…I heard you can fly now. Like Superman.” She whispered after a moment. The change of subject was not subtle, but Damian didn’t call her on it. Instead, she felt Damian shift in her hold, and glanced down at him to meet his watery gaze. “Can you?”

Damian scoffed, sniffed and pulled away. “Of course I can. It’s _easy_.”

“Good.” She grinned, jumping to her feet. She moved to stand in front of him, and held out her hand. “Then show me.”

He stared, first at her hand then at her face. “You’re heavy. I might _drop_ you.”

She shrugged. “Maybe.”

“Father said I shouldn’t fly with people.” Damian near gaped. “You trust me?”

And what was that noise Stephanie always made? “Duh.”

He stood, cautiously. Eying her, suspiciously. “I won’t go slowly.”

“Good.” She wiggled her fingers. “I would…not ask you to.”

He pursed his lips and, after a moment, he snorted. Grinned and grabbed both of her hands. They were in the air before she could breathe, above the trees before she could blink. “Hang on, Cassandra!”

The sadness from the roof evaporated instantly. Damian cackled as they weaved through the clouds, shouted as they lived the dreams of every child in the city below them.

Cass stared up at him, his face framed by their connected hands. He looked carefree here, in the sky. Relaxed among the birds and the stars. There were no thoughts of their family tragedies, no thoughts of the hole in his life, or the death he thought he might’ve been able to prevent. No thoughts of Dick Grayson, and if there were, they were happy thoughts. Good memories.

And it was so simple, she didn’t understand why Bruce and Tim and the rest didn’t get it – He didn’t need their words or their comfort. He needed _this_. Just _this_.

 _Dick would be so proud of you,_ she thought. _If he could see you right now._

Damian glanced down at her, blinked and grinned. “Fun, isn’t it?”

Cassandra just laughed, and that was answer enough.


End file.
